


Harry Potter and the Last Chance: Deleted Scenes

by LeQuin



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-08
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2020-01-06 19:07:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 34,430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18394535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LeQuin/pseuds/LeQuin
Summary: If fanfics came with Director's Cuts, this would be the bonus material for Harry Potter and the Last Chance.





	1. Viktor's Challenge

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome back. This is the first in a minimum of eight chapters. The next three will provide the much requested insight into what Albus Dumbledore was thinking. The four after that will give you some insight into what happened to some of your favourite characters after the end of the story. I will take any requests into consideration, though a fair warning: I will not be doing the Potter wedding (since I don't care about the legal finalization of what has already been established) and I don't have any inspiration for Hermione's response to Harry's explanation that he is a time traveler. Aside from that feel free to request anything.
> 
> These chapters will be a lot less consistent in length than the ones in Last Chance since they are mostly single scenes. I do aim for my usual consistency in publishing them.
> 
> UrsaMinor is busy with her graduation project so she doesn't have the time to beta this, but I felt like you had waited long enough for this.
> 
> As always thank you for reading.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Words in bold are spoken in Bulgarian.

Viktor Krum was facing a challenge. Worse, it was a challenge he hadn't expected. When his name had come out of the Goblet of Fire, Viktor had assessed his opponents and come to the conclusion that none were a match for him. He didn't doubt that they were competent in their own right but he couldn't see a way that they would be able to match up to him either; until the first task.

Last week he had been proven wrong in his initial assessment. Viktor still didn't think that Diggory or Delacour would pose a significant threat to his winning the Tournament, but he had dangerously underestimated Harry Potter.  _Not only did he defeat the most dangerous species of dragon present that day, he did it by_ flying _! He used_ my  _specialty against me._  Because he had assumed that a fourteen year-old couldn't possibly be a match for the rest of them, Viktor hadn't scouted his enemy's strengths and weaknesses. He had spent the past week trying as best he could to remedy that oversight.

Potter didn't seem to have a lot of close friends; he relied mostly on those two girls that were always with him. Of the two he seemed especially attached to the brunette. Viktor was fairly sure she was going to prove to be the chink in Potter's armour. If he could woo the brunette away from his competitor, Potter's confidence and support structure should take a massive hit. That in turn should allow Viktor to make up the lost ground in the next task.

With the Yule Ball coming up, Viktor knew he had the perfect opportunity to get the brunette on his side. She seemed fairly plain and hardly sought after and Viktor was sure that she would be overwhelmed by an international sports star asking her out on a date.  _No. Don't rely on your fame. She is close to Harry Potter, so fame is something she is used to. I have to find a way to make her believe that I am far superior to Potter; that I have more to offer her. Though since he hasn't asked her out yet, the fact alone that I_ am  _doing so should help. I need more information._

Easier said than done. If he started asking around word would reach Potter and he might realise what was happening and counter it. The goal wasn't the girl, after all and Potter could well find someone to replace her if he knew she was compromised. Surprise would be everything in this.

:-:-:-:-:

 _Damn and blast that Potter!_  Viktor was gripping his knife so fiercely that he could feel the  _handle_  was close to drawing blood from his fist. Potter had just smacked down that little, blond annoyance that always sat as close as possible to Viktor himself at meals. That would have been fine as far as it went and under different circumstances Viktor would even have thanked and congratulated Potter for his performance. No, what really set the Bulgarian's blood to boiling was the fact that it had become blindingly obvious that Potter had asked the girl (and damn it, Viktor just  _couldn't_  remember that ridiculous name). This meant that he was going to have to pull out all the stops and overwhelm her to get her away from the little shit. Viktor's advantage of being the one to ask her before she had even realised that she was an option as a date was gone and shot to hell.

_No matter. I am still a better option than he is. Women tend to want a man who's a little older. They believe that the men their age have not matured enough. I still have an advantage. If I use it properly she will still be mine; it will just hurt Potter all the more._

Viktor had been carefully listening to the rumours around the British school. At any given time at least half of them seemed to be about Harry Potter so sitting quietly near groups of people had turned out to be an excellent information gathering strategy. The girl, Her...Hem...the brunette, was his best friend and had been since Potter had rescued her from a troll in first year. Viktor assumed that this meant some other student who had been bullying her; what kind of school would not have safeguards against dangerous magical creatures entering and threatening its students? The girl spent most of her time in the library and was slavishly addicted to learning. She was also considered an academic genius. Viktor had been very interested to learn that she tutored younger students in Arithmancy every week in the library. That told him she would be in a specific location at a specific time. Most of the gossips agreed that they had thought that Potter and Gra...Gansher?...Potter and Gansher would end up a couple. Viktor planned to put an end to that conviction  _very_  soon.

:-:-:-:-:

Viktor could feel energy thrumming through his body. He had been watching Gansher teach a group of brats Arithmancy for the past hour. He had to admit that she seemed to know what she was talking about. Now though he was starting to get impatient. Most of the brats had left already but one was insistently staying behind to squeak at his target. Viktor made his way over and watched the little girl go wide-eyed. He shot her a glare and the little mouse scurried away. The brunette looked a little worried.  _She can sense something of my intent? Clever girl. Still a little anxiety need not be a bad thing. Danger_ excites  _after all._

"You are Hermy-own Gansher, da?" he asked to get the ball rolling.

"My name is Hermione Granger. Was there something you needed?"  _So frigid, little girl; and do you really think that I care what your name is?_  Viktor could feel himself getting excited about the hunt. So few girls offered any resistance at all anymore and there was something to be said for the thrill of the chase.

"I use to see you much in Library, but no more. I miss dat." Viktor saw her eyes widen just a fraction.  _Yes, I have studied you, little girl. Did you think me some brute because I play Quidditch? Oh well, I'll take the extra advantage._

"I have been choosing to study elsewhere with my friends, Mister Krum. Now, if you will excuse me." Her eyes darted to the side and Viktor could see her body shift as she prepared to walk away from their conversation.  _Oh no you don't. If you wished to leave you shouldn't have chosen to give your class in a closed off area with one exit and we are_ not  _done here._  Viktor shifted his body into her path and stepped towards her. She backed away and he noticed that a slight panic seemed to be descending in her eyes.  _Not good. Anxiety I can use; fear will not let her hear my words. I have to make her feel more comfortable, or at least less jumpy._

"I am Viktor for you, da?"  _You see, little girl? We can pretend to be equals; and if you will not listen to eloquence, I will have to reel you in with a more straightforward approach._  "I haff come to invite you to de Ball."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Krum. I already have a date for the Ball. I would appreciate it if you would let me go."  _So predictable: you do not wish to tarnish your reputation, so you resist me. How can I not accept such an invitation?_

"Leaf him. Potter is a boy. Let a man take you and show you de pleasures of a night like dis." Something in the girl's expression turned mutinous.

"The hell I will! Harry is more of man than you could hope to be and certainly knows more about pleasing women." Now that  _was_  unexpected. Potter had already had her? That had most certainly not been a factor in his initial calculations. Or was she exaggerating some simple groping for the purpose of seeing how he would respond?  _When in doubt, go physical._ Viktor turned slightly to the side so the girl would move between him and the shelves. The key would be making eye-contact. If he could keep their eyes locked he might be able to draw her into a kiss. Even if she kept refusing him, she would be unbalanced and that would affect Potter regardless. As Viktor felt the girl brush past him his hand shot out and grabbed her elbow as surely as he would a Snitch. He started leaning forward, looking for her eyes. He found them at the same time as he felt something digging into his throat. Her eyes managed to find his but they were blazing with determination.

"For the last time: leave. Me. Alone." Viktor felt the wand twisting into his neck. He dropped the girl's elbow, took a step back so he was leaning against the shelves and raised his hands in a non-threatening gesture. He watched the girl as she backed away keeping him covered until she turned around and fled from the library. Viktor slowly lowered his hands with a pensive expression on his face.  _That girl has some real fire in her. I can't remember any girl ever refusing me._  A grin broke out on his face.  _Alright, little girl. The hunt is on. I don't think I've ever relished a challenge more._  Viktor realised that he would be hard pressed to get her to listen to him after today, but damn it if that didn't make him want to try harder.  _First things first: a date for this Ball. Let's see if there are any suitable ladies walking around._

:-:-:-:-:

Viktor was standing with his date on his arm in an out of the way little antechamber. The Yule Ball was about to start but he couldn't bring himself to really care; not even when his date dropped her seventeenth hint that he would be welcome in her bed tonight. Each had been less subtle than the last and Viktor was starting to wonder if she would be handing him her underwear before the night was out. Still, it had been effortless to get her to come along with him and he hadn't even put any effort into trying to get into her knickers, which made the offer seem almost boring. Viktor was waiting for the one couple that had yet to show up: Potter and his brunette. Ever since she had given him a knock-back, Viktor had discovered that he was eager to win her acceptance.

Viktor was just listening to Unsubtle Hint Number Eighteen when the door to the ante-chamber opened and that stern old woman walked in. Behind the teacher were Potter and  _her_. Viktor let his eyes drink her in as she stood next to her date.  _Well, well, well, little girl, don't you just look all grown up. You would have looked better on my arm though._  He saw the girl move so that Potter stood between them. Potter seemed to guess her reasons for doing so and more properly stepped between Viktor and his prey while shooting the Bulgarian a glare. Viktor had to resist the urge to snort.  _Does he really think that I will be frightened by a pubescent child? Out-flying a dragon isn't out-dueling a wizard, boy._

When they were informed of how they would enter the Hall, Viktor had to tamp down his irritation at the way the hosts were rubbing Potter's victory in the first task in his face. That irritation became much harder to control once he heard the introduction Potter was given.  _This was organised by him and his friends, no doubt. Have they no class?_

During the dinner Viktor managed a balancing act he had perfected at formal functions the world over. He was barely paying attention to the girl next to him who was talking incessantly while making it look like nothing could interest him more than the vapid nonsense coming out of her mouth. At the same time he was paying minute attention to what his target was saying at the other side of the table was saying without even seeming to notice her existence. What he learnt made him want to smile.  _So she wants to save the elves? She certainly has a fixation on saviours doesn't she? She apparently became friends with Potter when he saved her and now she wants to save the oppressed of a world she is still unprepared to face. This makes what Headmaster Karkaroff told me far more interesting. I will have to tell him that I would miss that sweet little thing torturously if she were to be taken._  Viktor knew that his Headmaster would not be fooled for an instant, but also that the man would wholeheartedly agree with Viktor's plan. From Karkaroff's ramblings after a few shots of vodka, Viktor was sure that his Headmaster would be able to manipulate the other judges into making sure that the little girl would be his hostage.  _That should at the very least confuse Potter when he finally gets down there. The longer he takes, the more ground I win. That the little girl will see me as a saviour will certainly help my future efforts._

:-:-:-:-:

" **What the fuck is going on here?!** " Viktor was in an absolute rage when he emerged from the lake. He had worked tirelessly to master one of the most difficult feats of magic imaginable. It should have seen him down to the hostages well before the others and impressed the hell out of the little girl when he pulled her out of the water. As he stalked towards his Headmaster, who was looking particularly grim, he couldn't help but notice Potter and the girl sitting under a blanket together talking to the other two champions and their hostages. He had to look away or he was sure he would start cursing something.

" **That little brat came up with the girl. I went to confront him and he told us that there was no way he could have known that she** _ **wasn't**_ **his hostage. It would seem that Dumbledore isn't as aware of the relationships between his students as he would have had us believe when he put that ginger down in the lake.** " Karkaroff aimed a glare at the redhead still splashing around in the lake. " **You should have left him down there. Now that you've brought him up Bagman is already arguing that you accepted him as your hostage.** "

" **Mamkamu! How did that little shit even beat me down there?** " Viktor snarled out as his hands started curling into claws from his rage.

" **Gillyweed.** " Karkaroff's disgust was clear to hear in his voice.

" **Gillyweed?! He beat me with a goddamn plant?** " Karkaroff's nod did nothing to cool Viktor's rage.

" **All is not yet lost, Viktor. You had better perform to higher standard in the last task than you have so far if you want to have a chance at victory though.** " Viktor could only growl at his Headmaster's back as the man had already turned to head back to the other judges. When Bagman announced the score Viktor was sure that Karkaroff had at least done his best to keep the difference between himself and Potter as small as possible. He didn't think that Potter could get to the cup within nine minutes but he was through underestimating the boy.  _I had better study up on a few combat curses that I can reasonably claim to have hit him with by accident at this rate._

:-:-:-:-:

Viktor woke up with a throbbing head in unfamiliar surroundings. He hadn't managed to get his bearings before an elderly woman appeared next to the bed he was laying in.

"You're awake. How are you feeling?" she asked. Viktor groaned and grabbed his head as his headache spiked. He felt a potion vial being placed at his lips. The chance for relief was so tempting that he simply swallowed the liquid without worrying too much about what it was exactly. Whatever it was definitely did the trick of curing his headache.

"Vhere am I?" he managed once he could think without feeling like someone took a mallet to his skull.

"The Hogwarts Hospital Wing." was the crisp answer. Before he could ask what had happened to land him in the hospital the woman was already answering his questions. "You've only been here for a few hours. You were held under the Imperius Curse and attacked your fellow contestants. No permanent harm seems to have befallen either you or them." From what Viktor knew of the curse it was unlikely that he would have held back in his attacks. He doubted Diggory or Delacour could match him in a fight.

"It vas Potter who stopped me, vasn't it?" The woman's face turned upset for the briefest of moments. "He von den?"

"Yes, Mr. Potter managed to stop you and yes, he managed to win the Tournament."  _There is more that is not being said here._ The woman however seemed unwilling to discuss what those unsaid matters might be. "You will rest here for the time being. If your headache does not return, you may return to your schoolmates this evening." Once Viktor had nodded his understanding the woman bustled off towards a bed that was surrounded by a screen.  _Potter must be in that bed. He was probably gravely injured securing the victory for his school._  Viktor laid back and tried to rest. The sooner he got out of here the sooner he could find out what was going on.

:-:-:-:-:

As the ship sank beneath the waves, Victor watched Hogwarts Castle disappear from view.  _It has been an...interesting year._  Viktor had not imagined that he would be beaten to the title and certainly not by a fourth-year. He had to admit that he had not imagined a fourth-year like Harry Potter either. The boy had bested him at every turn, even when Viktor had admitted that he was unlikely to win in a straight competition and determined to unsettle his opponent by chasing after the brunette with the difficult name.  _He beat me there too. He was stronger than I in every way._  As Viktor turned back to the bow and started plotting their cause homeward he couldn't help but smirk as a thought crossed his mind.  _I hope Potter decides to play Quidditch professionally._ That  _would be a challenge worth tackling._


	2. Dumbledore's Desperation - Year 4

Albus Dumbledore was sitting in his office contemplating recent developments. That in and of itself wasn't anything strange. As both an old man and a politician it was a given that contemplation of recent developments was a frequent occurrence for the Headmaster of Hogwarts. However Albus had been blessed or cursed with an exceptionally interesting student, depending on your point of view.  _And it's a fine mess you find yourself in this year, my boy._  Harry Potter's name coming out of the Goblet of Fire had been unexpected and promised the young man another eventful year. Albus hoped that his young student would manage to pull through.  _It isn't your time to die yet, Harry._

Albus had just taken counsel with his most trusted staff members and friends. Alastor and Severus had remained fairly stoic in the face of another threat to Harry's life. Minerva had been...less so. She had in fact been screaming at them that they had no right to use the poor boy as bait. On the one hand Albus agreed with her, but it wasn't him who had put the boy in this situation; he was merely turning it to their advantage as much as he could.  _If Tom is making another attempt at coming back then we must know about it. Our world isn't ready to face such a threat again. I am truly sorry, my boy. Once again you will have to shoulder the burden for us all._

:-:-:-:-:

_I'm not sure whether to proud or worried._  Albus had just come back from the Weighing of the Wands. His worries about how Harry had been handling being chosen as a champion had been thoroughly assuaged. The boy seemed downright chipper, even.  _I wonder what you have found to make you act this way, Harry? It does not feel like you are traveling down Tom's path like Severus thinks, but I cannot help my curiosity._ Severus had been in to see Albus with a disturbing report of Harry actions in the corridor outside the Potions classroom. The trembling of Severus' hands when he described the similarities between Harry's actions and the Dark Lord had made Albus very nervous. His own encounter with Harry only a little later had not shown a hint of darkness though. The only thing Albus could come up with was that Miss Skeeter seemed unusually reticent to stay near Harry too long, but Albus was prepared to be thankful for small mercies rather than looking for budding Dark Lords in every closet.

:-:-:-:-:

_I still cannot believe it._ Albus, Severus and Minerva were sitting in his office. Alastor would join them once he had found something that could explain how the Hungarian Horntail had gotten loose.  _It wouldn't surprise me if the strength of the chains was decided on by someone at the ministry who didn't pay enough attention to Sylvanus' lectures when they were here._

"Headmaster, I wish to once again register my concerns about Potter. There is no way that a wizard of his abilities could take on a dragon like that. I think we should be putting more effort into discovering who or what is helping him."

"Really, Severus. You should know better than anyone what a gifted flyer Mr. Potter is." Minerva broke in before Albus could allay his friend's suspicions. "Besides, the young man knew what was coming and prepared appropriately." That made Albus sit up and pay attention.

"I trust that young Harry has not been receiving inappropriate help from the staff? We cannot allow stories of corruption and nepotism in the next generation to travel back to the visitors' homes with them. Britain's position on the international stage is precarious enough as it is."

"I tried to warn Mr. Potter to be careful, that is all." Minerva responded in a frosty tone.  _I know you don't approve of my reasoning, old friend, but that does not make it less true. Harry is the face of the next generation and one of the dwindling number of reasons we still have any kind of standing with the ICW. He must_ not  _be compromised._  Minerva was oblivious to Albus' inner musings and continued on with a something that might even be a smile of pride on her face. "The little scamp just told me that he and his friends would discover what the threat was and react accordingly. Why, even when we were heading down to the enclosure he took the time to reassure me that he had a plan. Someone like that does not deserve to have suspicion heaped on him like this."

"You may be right, Minerva, but that is what we thought of Tom at the time." Before Minerva could unleash a tirade about why Harry was nothing like the Dark Lord, Severus interrupted.

"If we aren't going to do something about the Potter brat, perhaps we should prepare for the ministry offering us up to the press as the ones to blame for today's fiasco?"

"An excellent point, Severus." Albus gratefully seized the opportunity he was presented with. "Cornelius has already told me that an inquiry will be held and that I shall have to explain what went wrong. I believe that we can trust to their understanding and the evidence that Alastor will surely uncover. I think it might be wise to offer Harry a Special Award for Services to the School." The professors' reactions were rather predictable.

" _Wise_?! Albus, that boy has earnt that award and more."

"Oh please, not something else to inflate the brat's ego." Albus listened to the two argue for a while longer before dismissing them to look after their Houses.  _It was a truly impressive performance, my boy. Minerva will certainly champion your cause among the staff. Severus will, of course, tell us that you are your father's son while still working to keep you as safe as he can. I will have to attempt to speed up my information gathering. Tom has hidden his anchors well, but a little more research should confirm the number and some locations at least._

Albus looked at the golden egg that sat on the corner of his desk.  _Perhaps Minerva is right and Harry does deserve more than an impersonal award. The greatest gift we can give another is our friendship, though perhaps helping to repair a friendship will suffice in this case._

:-:-:-:-:

"That miserable little shit did that on purpose!"  _It's a good thing that Filius had the foresight to put up a silencing charm_  Albus thought to himself while Severus raged.

"Nonsense, Severus. I told you that this was simply the moment when all the involved parties could attend." Minerva spoke crisply.

"I would feel, Minerva, that as the Headmaster of this school I would be considered one of the involved parties and yet I find myself hearing about your expedition only now." Albus broke in. He wasn't quite able to keep his annoyance out of his voice.  _It was a unique opportunity to gain access to the Chamber and look for any clues Tom may have left. I can't go up to Harry and ask him to let me in without word of it spreading through the castle and eventually getting back to Tom. As I am the only one he fears I must make sure that I do not cause him to lash out because of that fear._

"Perhaps, Albus, but this was not conceived as a school matter. Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley had made a business arrangement. I asked Mr. Potter to include those students who wished to view the Chamber for closure from the events two years ago and he graciously agreed. They were accompanied by their Heads of House on this outing as is proper. Was there something about this that was not within my remit as Deputy Headmistress?"

"You let a glorified farmer maul my precious potions ingredients!" Severus interrupted.

"If you want those ingredients you may buy them on the open market like anyone else." Filius said sternly. "If they do not meet with your approval you can simply pass them by."

"They are mine by right! It was Slytherin's Basilisk and I am both the Potions Master in this school and the Head of Slytherin House." Severus seethed.

"It seems we have neglected the aspect of your education that should have dealt with the laws of the land." Pomona pointed out mildly, causing Severus to pale drastically from his already sallow complexion. Pomona continued on blithely "The basilisk has a danger rating of XXXXX and was an active threat to the students. When Mr. Potter removed that threat the carcass became his by law."  _I think that you are a lot more cunning than Severus gives you credit for, my dear. In fact I think that most of my senior staff have revealed a cunning streak today._

"While it is undoubtedly true that Mr. Potter has the rights to the carcass it was still on Hogwarts grounds. That alone should mean that I was consulted about today's little outing; preferably beforehand." Albus broke into the bickering. "Even if you have some reason why that might not be  _necessary_ , Minerva, I believe our long friendship should have at the very least led to a mention of what was happening. Did you not think that Severus and I would be interested in seeing such a legendary part of our school?"

"I'm sure it would have held both your interests for various reasons, Albus, but tell me this: would you have been content to come along as an observer?"

"I'm not sure I understand the question, Minerva."

"Would you have set conditions on Mr. Potter before you agreed to let the group go down there?"

"I would have asked him to set aside a portion of the basilisk for its home, certainly, but I wouldn't have made it a condition of heading into the chamber."  _Of course Harry wouldn't have needed to know that intention. Severus could do so much good for the world with such rare ingredients. That doesn't even get into the uses basilisk venom might have in the war against Tom._  "I would also have pointed out to him that leaving such items on the open market makes them accessible to...less savoury elements of our society. The only real condition I would have had would be the barring of Ms. Skeeter from Hogwarts. I believe we are all familiar enough with her tendencies to agree that letting her in here was a mistake."

"Actually, when it comes to Mr. Potter, Ms. Skeeter proves that she can be downright respectful. I'm not sure how he managed that, but I don't know how he found the courage to kill a basilisk either. As for the rest, well, there you have the reason that you are only hearing about the expedition now. That young man is facing quite enough without his teachers looking to use him for their own agendas." As Minerva finished Severus started railing about the loss of research opportunities to no sympathy from his colleagues. Albus let him get it out of his system.  _It is quite a blow after all to know that the pursuit of knowledge has been blocked by such underhanded means. What's done is done, I suppose. I shall have to remember that Minerva, Filius and Pomona will take Harry's side over mine when our interests collide. That is a blow. I had hoped to be able to count on their support; Minerva especially. In the meantime I shall have to prepare myself for another inquiry when Rita publishes her doubtlessly sensationalised piece on what happened here._

:-:-:-:-:

"I believe that covers all the details except for the final decision on the hostages that each champion will rescue." Ludo was bouncing in his seat as he spoke.

"I have discovered whom Viktor would miss the most. I assume that the rest of you are similarly well informed?" Igor broke in before Ludo could get too excited.

"Oui."

"I believe so" Albus added his agreement.

"Very well. Nominate your hostages, please." Barty said as he pulled the minutes of the meeting towards him and dipped his quill in ink.  _The poor man looks terrible. I shall have to send a discreet notice to St. Mungo's through Dyllis._

"Viktor has become enamoured of one of Albus' students. A Ms. Hermione Granger, if I'm not mistaken."

"Hmm, I had intended to nominate Ms. Granger as Mr. Potter's hostage too." Albus frowned at Igor.

"Come now, Albus. Surely you would not stand in the way of love. Your boy must have other friends that you could call upon in this situation?"

"You are sure that there is love between Mr. Krum and Ms. Granger then?" Albus inquired.

"Absolutely!"  _If those two really do care for each other in such a way, then it would be cruel to use Ms. Granger as the hostage for another. Hmm, who would I be able to use for Harry then? Perhaps Ms. Lovegood would suffice...I have it! Since Harry has been so cold to Mr. Weasley this could be the perfect chance to have him realise just what their friendship means to him. I know better than most the effect the shattering of a friendship can have on powerful wizards after all._

"If you are sure, Igor then I will withdraw my nomination. You are quite right of course that Harry is well liked and feels a great deal of affection in return. I think that perhaps his other best friend, Mr. Ronald Weasley, will be an appropriate choice."

"Thank you, Albus." Igor inclined his head at the Hogwarts Headmaster.

"Then we have Ms. Hermione Granger for Viktor Krum and Mr. Ronald Weasley for Harry Potter. Who shall be the hostages for the other two competitors?" Barty asked curtly.  _At least he is not so ill that he has lost his habit of keeping everyone focused on the purpose of our gathering._

"I believe that Ms. Cho Chang would be the best choice for Cedric Diggory. They are currently romantically involved." Albus supplied. Barty nodded and scribbled something on the parchment in front of him. All eyes turned to the largest member of their company.

"Fleur 'as not formed any attachments to 'er classmates or students from ze ozzer schools." Olympe revealed with a gusting sigh. "If we can get 'er fazzer's permission it might be best to use Fleur's seester: Gabrielle Delacour."  _Interesting choice. It would be better if she had nourished her student's relationships with her peers, but I suppose that Olympe is still a bit young and inexperienced to see the benefits of doing so._

"It is decided then. Madame Maxime, would Monsieur Delacour respond better to an appeal from you or me?" Barty said in a voice that sounded like a gavel strike.

"Per'aps ze two of us togezzer would be best."

"That is what we shall do then. Are there any further matters to be discussed? No? Then this meeting is adjourned." Barty closed the meeting in his usual efficient style. Igor immediately swept from the room, Olympe and Barty were discussing when they should address Mr. Delacour which left Albus dealing with Ludo's invitations for a nightcap.  _Oh why not? Such joviality should be encouraged or we'd all become as dour as Barty._

:-:-:-:-:

The Great Hall was a sparkling wonderland, an image reinforced by the happy and excited young faces looking up at the Head Table. Albus could feel the warmth of the season's celebration deep in his bones. As he looked down the table he took note of several things that were not as they should be. Barty had declined to attend the festivities citing illness and had sent young Percival Weasley in his place. It wasn't like Barty to admit to an illness and certainly not to abdicate one of his responsibilities to an underling.  _Perhaps my message to St. Mungo's was more timely than I had thought. I hope Barty recovers soon._

Next to Mr. Weasley sat Harry and Ms. Granger. They seemed to be focused on talking to their guests from the other schools.  _I am happy to see that they are striving for international cooperation and making new friends. I have to say that I had thought that Ms. Granger would be accompanying Mr. Krum after what Igor said at our last meeting. Perhaps he overstated his case for his student's sake? I'll have to advise him on the proper way to help one's students, but his intentions are admirable. Strong bonds formed during their education will mean less chance of discord and Dark Lords arising in the future. Harry still seems to be coping well with his position as a champion and seems to be enjoying himself tonight. That is good. You should take the time to enjoy life too, my boy. Life is short and one day you will learn that that old adage applies to you more than most._

:-:-:-:-:

"Potter's cheating! He has directly sabotaged the Drumstrang Champion by taking the wrong hostage!" Igor was yelling once he had identified the two teenagers who were making their way out of the lake.

"Come now, Igor. We never told them which hostage we were taking and we had already established that she is one of Harry's best friends." Ludo broke in. "This could be an honest misunderstanding."

"There is nothing honest about this!"

"I have to agree with Ludo that we do not have all the information we need to decide that." Albus broke into the discussion mildly. "If you will wait for our healer, we can go and speak with Mr. Potter and hear why he left Mr. Weasley and took Ms. Granger."

"Hmph!" was Igor's only answer. The two headmasters waited until Poppy joined them; it was not a long wait as the Hogwarts Healer was determined as ever to get to her patients. The three made their way over to the champions' tent. When they entered they found Harry Potter standing in front of a partition dripping wet. Determined to take control of the conversation before Igor could devolve it into a shouting match about cheating Albus greeted his student before anyone else could speak.

"Harry, my boy, you have my congratulations on completing the task so expediently. There are some complications we were hoping you could clarify for us, though."

"And what colossal mistake have you made this time?"  _That was considerably more hostile than I was expecting. Perhaps it's because Poppy is fussing over him right now? I remember that Harry has always shown a particular distaste for that when he is under her care._  Albus followed the discussion between his Healer and his student with interest.  _Dragonhide? Well, well, well. You have once again proven your resourcefulness, my boy. A well-considered move with the tournament hanging over your head to use the gift the Gemenele Preserve gave you like this. It is also heartening to know that you cared enough about your friends to see to their protection as well. Another point against Severus' assertion that you are turning Dark._  Albus heard Harry tell Poppy that he and Ms. Granger had prepared for today's task after hearing the clue.

"That actually brings us back rather neatly to why Headmaster Karkaroff and I are here. As it happens we did not, as you put it, 'make a colossal mistake'. You did, my boy. Could you tell us why you rescued Ms. Granger?"

"Because you people put her at the bottom of a freezing lake."  _Harry may be dealing with the stress of the tournament well overall, but it would appear that he is not as in control of himself closer to the tasks._

"I am afraid you misunderstood me, my boy. I meant why did you not save your own hostage?" Albus was about to point out Harry's obvious confusion to Igor when the teenager delivered a curt response.

"What are you talking about? Hermione was my hostage and I rescued her."  _I think we owe the young man an explanation if we are ever to get to the heart of the matter._

"I am afraid not, my boy. Mr. Weasley was your intended hostage. Mr. Krum was supposed to rescue Ms. Granger." Unfortunately it seemed that Igor had reached the end of his patience.

"You deliberately sabotaged my Champion, boy! I will see you punished for this. Severus was right: you are nothing more than an attention seeking brat with delusions of grandeur."  _Oh dear. I'm afraid that invoking Severus in this conversation isn't going to help._  Sure enough: Harry exploded at Igor's provocation.

"You tied the single most important person in my life to a lakebed and then expected me to leave her down there while I swam back with someone who has already proven he would happily see me die to satisfy his jealousies? Whose diseased mind thought that would work?"  _I may have to step in and remind him of his manners. Though I suppose it can wait until they have vented their frustrations some more._  "The last and only time your champion spoke to Hermione she had to draw her wand to defend herself from his inappropriate and unwanted advances. You can tell him from me that if he ever tries that again there won't be enough left of him to stuff inside that snitch he seems so fond of chasing."  _That is too much, Harry. With that kind of aggression we will never find a resolution._

"Surely, Harry, you must see that Mr. Krum has far fewer friends available here for us to call upon than you do?" Albus tried to get his student into a more understanding frame of mind. It didn't work.

"If his treatment of Hermione is any indication it wouldn't surprise me if has no friends available anywhere for you to call upon. Even if I were to acknowledge your point it still doesn't answer why, with all my friends available to you, you would pick someone I wouldn't lift a finger to rescue as my hostage and ask me to ignore my best friend. Either your selection of the hostages is deeply flawed or your clue was. 'We've taken what you'll sorely miss' indeed." Harry snorted and added: "Weasley is an entirely more appropriate hostage for Krum anyway. This way he can rescue his most rabid fan." Once again, Harry's answer proved to be too much for Igor to take calmly.

"You are just a nasty, little cheat, boy! How else could you have completed the task so much faster than the best our schools have to offer?!"  _I'm afraid you are underestimating Harry's experience with the stranger and more dangerous parts of our world, old friend._  Harry's smirk indicated that he must have had a similar thought.

"I was entirely confident in your incompetence and general disregard for the students' well-being so I placed tracking charms on Hermione that led me straight to her." Seeing the young man turning to face him had Albus bracing himself to reprimand him for his disrespect. "Did you even bother to ask Hermione anything before you stuck her down there?"  _Yes, I think we need to remind you of what our respective positions are._  Albus never got the chance to fire off his reprimand.

"No, they didn't, Harry."  _Well, that'll have put the cat among the pixies._  Harry was thankfully more concerned with reassuring himself that Ms. Granger was unharmed. He allowed himself to be sent into the partition by the young lady next to him while she was being checked over by Poppy, but not before he had gotten in a parting shot.

"Gentlemen, I believe we have answered your questions satisfactorily. You made a series of ridiculous, almost insulting, assumptions which caused your current confusion. I can't help but wonder what blunders you have planned for the third task. If you'll excuse me."

"I think, Igor, that we may be better served by returning to the others and sharing our findings." Albus said  _sotto voce_  to his colleague.

"Hmph. I suppose we must, since you have apparently failed to teach your students respect for their betters." Igor swept from the tent, his irritation almost visible around him. Albus considered taking a moment to speak to Ms. Granger, but the cool look he was getting from her convinced him that he would not be doing anything to raise her estimation of him if he did. Giving Poppy and Ms. Granger a nod, Albus chose to follow Igor back to the judging station. When he got there Igor was already in full flow decrying Harry's actions as those of a fundamentally dishonest boy.

"Ah, Albus. Would you perhaps share your version of your discussion in the tent with Mr. Potter?" Albus inclined his head and gave as factual an account as he could of what was said. As the other four judges sank into a heated debate of what it all meant Albus was more concerned with his own thoughts.  _I had truly not anticipated Harry and Ms. Granger being so antagonistic. It looked like he was dealing with the pressure of the tournament well. I will have to keep a closer eye on him. If this behaviour is a result of the Horcrux in his scar starting to affect him more then we need to know. It is unfortunate that I can no longer rely on Minerva to pass along objective observations of the lad. I will have to rely more heavily on Severus in this matter._

As the other three competitors successfully completed the task the discussion among the judges continued. Mr. Diggory and Ms. Delacour seemed to firmly agree that Harry Potter was not a cheat. Ms. Delacour had even asked if some of her score could be transferred to the young man who had apparently saved her life.  _Which is your real face, Harry? The righteous young man who saves life or the aggressor with the dark future? I need to know._  Igor was not happy with the final point dispensation and only agreed to it because Mr. Krum was given extra points by the judges for rescuing someone he did not even know.

:-:-:-:-:

Albus was reading the newspaper and he didn't like what he was seeing. Oh, there was nothing objectionable about the pieces themselves and in a way that was the most objectionable part of it. Albus hadn't quite believed Minerva when she had assured him that Harry had somehow won politeness from Rita Skeeter. Looking at the collection of newspaper and magazine articles about his student, Albus had to conclude that she had been telling the unvarnished truth.  _How did you accomplish this, Harry? You have to have done something moderately spectacular. Neither power, nor wealth have ever seemed to work before. Could it be that you are using fear? I hope not._

:-:-:-:-:

"Albus! Albus, we have an emergency!" Albus looked up as a puffing Ludo barged into his office.

"What seems to be the problem, Ludo?" Albus asked calmly, putting his quill down.  _The poor boy always was a little excitable._

"It's horrible! We found Barty. The Potter boy floated his body out of the forest and told me to get you. He's going to the hospital wing." Ludo was barely able to get the words out as he tried to heave breath back into his body. Albus was taking advantage of Ludo's less than observant state to make sure he had properly hidden the surprise and worry on his face.  _I think that I need to recheck the trackers on young Harry. If he's going around attacking people in front of ministry witnesses then I'm afraid I cannot blindly trust to his good nature anymore. I will not allow another Dark Lord to rise so soon after we suffered through the last one._

"If young Mr. Potter and Barty are headed for the Hospital Wing it would behoove us to do the same, Ludo."

"Yes. Yes, of course." Albus swept from his office with Ludo trailing behind him like a an overweight puppy. Unfortunately, by the time they arrived at the Hospital Wing Harry had already left for the Gryffindor dorms.  _That is frustrating. I won't be able to summon him after curfew without a good reason and since Barty is alive and in the Hospital Wing, I can't quite justify dragging Harry out of_   _bed._

"He was lucky that Mr. Potter found him, Albus." Poppy was saying. "These injuries are severe and I don't think I want to know how he got them."

"I see. I will alert the DMLE and I will tell them that Barty will be unavailable for questioning until he is cleared by his healer." Albus added the last part quickly as Poppy looked ready to start on another of her rants about patients receiving proper rest. She contented herself with a huff this time.  _And in the meantime, I'll have Alastor look into things for me as well. This case is too important for it to be muddied by politics._

:-:-:-:-:

_Well that was less informative than I'd hoped._  Albus had just seen off the Minister for Magic and the aurors he'd brought to investigate the death of Barty Crouch. Albus first thoughts had been that Harry had tried to cover his tracks while eliminating Barty. After the aurors had confirmed that the magical traces at the edge of the Forbidden Forest matched what Harry had told them Albus had spent a full minute chastising himself for not thinking things through.  _What would Harry have to gain by killing Barty? I completely ignored that. Besides anyone clever enough to avoid suspicion for so long would not have waited for a witness before committing murder unless there was something to gain._ Albus stomach sank.  _So either I've been wrong about Harry or he's far more devious than even I_   _thought._

The portraits were being no help whatsoever. Apparently Dexter had made a fool of himself in front of Harry and the other Heads couldn't stop ribbing the poor fellow about it. Albus had been forced to order them all to shut up so he could think.  _Whether or not Harry was involved, Barty's death hints at larger problems for our world. I will need to convince Horace to share his memory with me. I will also need to start making a list of possible Horcruxes and their locations; other than the obvious one of course. The tracking charms I placed on Harry should allow me to monitor where that one goes._

:-:-:-:-:

_This has been the worst day that I can remember having in a_ very  _long time._ Albus was sitting in his office having just had a rather heated discussion with Cornelius and Amelia. He and Amelia had done their best to convince Cornelius that there was a real need to reinforce the aurors and St. Mungo's. All their best efforts had proven for naught.  _Right now Cornelius is probably doing everything his office allows, and quite few things it doesn't, in an effort to keep the news from getting out. It's a sad day indeed when that's not even the worst of what happened today. Not only is Tom back, now I have to worry about Harry going dark. We won't know just how much damage he caused until Amelia completes her assessment of the site, but it was clear that Harry had no compassion in his heart tonight._

Albus had seen some of his worst fears realised in his pensieve tonight.  _That doesn't even touch on the fact that my possession of the pensieve came to light at all. I should have paid more attention to what the portraits were saying after Harry was in here. I never had a chance to impress upon him the need to keep its existence quiet. Though from what I saw tonight I'm not entirely sure that it would have helped._ Harry had turned his wand upon his fellow man and cast curses that could only have been intended to maim or even kill.  _It is worrying that he could not see a less destructive way to confront Tom. I suppose some allowances must be made for the state of mind he must have been in after being subjected to the Cruciatus for that long, but if this is Harry's response now, how much more violent will he get? The resolution of his and Tom's destiny will become a bloody affair with many needless deaths on both sides this way._

_It's up to me. Harry is too young and clearly too reckless to understand just how much damage he can do. We are the Light because we do not resort to Darkness. As a teacher and a Guardian of the Light it is my duty to ensure that Harry does not fall into that temptation._

:-:-:-:-:

Albus shot up from his chair as claxons started blaring around him. He raced out from behind his desk and over to the silver instruments on one of the side tables. Every last one of them was blaring out enough noise to drive even a deaf man mad. Albus waved his wand and nearly dropped it when he read the results of his spell. All of the tracking charms he had placed on Harry Potter had been Disspelled outside King's Cross Station.  _I must go investigate at once. If Harry has done this himself by accident, then the charms need to be reapplied. If he has done this on purpose, then I need to determine how he discovered the charms and find a new way to track him that he cannot find. If another has removed the charms then I need to know why and what they plan to do with the boy._

Albus raced out of his office and out of the castle, stopping only at Minerva's office to tell her that he would be gone for a while and was leaving the castle in her care. The moment Albus had passed the gates he disapparated with a loud crack. He reappeared in a dirty alleyway and immediately cast Notice-Me-Not and Muggle Repelling Charms. Once he was sure that he wouldn't be disturbed, Albus started casting detection spells. The more he cast the more he panicked.  _This is impossible. Even if it was by accident there should be some trace of the spells used to destroy the charms._ A terrible thought struck Albus.  _I know that the charms have been broken and that there is no trace of any spells here. The only possible conclusion is that Harry has discovered spells that I do not know. Considering how many spells I_ do  _know and the limited time Harry has had to learn spells of any kind, that points rather firmly towards Dark magic or the 'power he knows not'. Dare I take the chance that it is this power and that, if it is, it is not Dark?_

_No. I cannot afford to give him a chance to turn. When I find him, I will have to restrict Harry's movements and knowledge until the proper time. It is distasteful, but necessary. If we have to face both Tom and Harry the magical world stands no chance of surviving. The first step will be to limit his opportunities for recruitment. I am sure that Minerva will want him as her boys' prefect next year, but that will afford him the same opportunities that Tom so brilliantly took advantage of. I need to make sure that he understands how serious a matter prophecy is. I'll speak with Sybill about emphasizing it in her class this year. Confound it all, why couldn't that boy just cooperate? With everything that is happening we don't need him running off at the most inopportune time conceivable._ Albus apparated back up to Hogwarts angrily.

_I will have Alastor put together a search team to locate the boy. In the meantime I must ensure that the prophecy remains safe and start looking for the Horcruxes. There is so much that must be accomplished and I can only hope that we are granted the time to see it done._


	3. Dumbledore's Desperation - Year 5, Part I

"Albus! Thank Merlin you're here!" Molly gasped out as Albus stepped from the floo, soon followed by Minerva. He had been searching for Horcruxes for the past few days with no real success and had decided that he should get an update from his Order.  _Tom must have found a way to hide the Gaunt family's home. I wish I still had my pensieve. I could have taken a look at Robert's memory one more time._  Albus shook himself from his musings and focused on the matter at hand. Molly had informed him of the good news as soon as she realised that he was back: Harry had been found and was at Headquarters.

"Quite. I hear that we have finally found our young runaway?"

"He found us, Albus. He even managed to get the drop on Tonks, Lupin and myself." Alastor growled out. Many of the Order members who had shown up early for the meeting were nodding along in agreement. Albus could feel his eyebrows arch up in shock.  _To take three of our best fighters by surprise is impressive. Unfortunately with the way Harry has been acting that could be more of a problem than a boon._ "As if that wasn't enough he knew all about us and what we've been doing."

"I'm afraid that I don't understand your meaning, old friend." Albus responded carefully. Alastor just snorted.

"Potter knew about the existence of the Order for starters; knew of the Order by name."

"Unsettling, true, but not completely out of the realm of the possible if one of his friends managed to sneak a letter out to him."

"He knew Lupin was talking to the werewolves, that Hagrid's off to parley with the giants, that Weasley's oldest is talking to the goblins and that Snape is your mole in the Dark Bastard's inner circle."

"That is altogether more troubling. I would say that a lot of that could be deduced if he already knew about the Order though."  _If Harry was able to deduce so much with so little information then we may all have thoroughly underestimated him._

"Damn it, Albus! Stop being so sodding flippant about our apparently miserable OpSec!" Alastor snarled out. "The boy even knew that we were guarding the Department of Mysteries. As if that's not bad enough he told us that he removed the prophecy we were apparently guarding more than two weeks ago. Most of the damn guards didn't know what they were there for."  _Harry knows the prophecy? I didn't think that the situation would be quite that dire._  "It's a good thing you called a meeting for tonight. After what Potter said we need to talk about exactly why we should trust Snape and how we are going to go about fighting this war."  _How is it that the boy finally shows up and manages to immediately throw my Order into chaos? Alastor has always been mistrustful of Severus, but he was willing to listen to reason before._

"I think that it is high time that I had a conversation with young Mr. Potter. Does anyone know where I might find him?"

"I'll go get him." Sirius offered. "Why don't you wait for him in the Drawing Room, Albus?" Albus inclined his head in agreement.  _It's no surprise, but I think I can safely say that Sirius' loyalty will be to Harry before the Order. We will have to keep that in mind going forward._ Albus made his way to the Drawing Room while mulling over everything he had learnt in the past few minutes. In the room itself, he made a show of inspecting the trinkets that the Black family had collected over the generations. It wouldn't do to start his conversation with Harry looking eager, aggressive or defensive. When he heard the door open Albus looked up and saw Harry Potter standing confidently in the opening.  _He didn't knock. That shows a certain lack of respect or nervousness. He feels like he is in control here. Still, it wouldn't do any harm to try the polite approach first._

"Ah, Harry, my boy. It's good to finally see you. You have been making life exceptionally difficult for a number of people." Albus kept his tone purposefully light.

"Why don't you take a seat, sir? This feels like it could be a long discussion and we may want to jump up theatrically at some point."  _Cheeky, but it does the job of making any theatrics a poor idea. Not bad, Harry. I'll play along for now._

"Quite, my boy. Since you seem to have correctly guessed the reason for my being here, let's get straight into it shall we?" Harry gave a one-shouldered shrug in reply. "As I said you have been making life exceptionally difficult for several people. Would you care to explain why?" Albus sat back and steepled his fingers in a pose he had learnt intimidated students into talking.

"Of course, sir. I'm rather averse to meeting Riddle and his coterie of idiots so I hid myself away. The fact that your little club couldn't find me was a bit of an unintended side-effect."  _Why do they always feel the need to try to be clever? Do they honestly think that their elders have not seen all this before?_  Albus didn't respond to Harry and let the pose do its work. After several long moments where Harry just sat there with a pleasant look on his face Albus was forced to break the silence anyway.

"Harry, I'm sure you understand that that answer will not suffice. We were looking for you because we care about your safety. You need to be protected." Harry just cocked his eyebrow again.

"With all due respect, sir, I think the fact that neither you nor the Death Eaters could find me proves that I was well protected. In fact, I would go so far as to say that I was safer for the past two months than I have ever been at Hogwarts."  _Brat. As if you have the judgement to know what's safe for you. If you did, you would not have disregarded your mother's sacrifice so readily. Now that I think of it I don't know that I ever told him about the blood wards, but he should still trust me over his own poor judgement. The blood wards may yet be salvaged._

"Harry, there are things you don't understand. I have set up protections for you that have no equal. In order for those protections to be maintained I will be delivering you to your aunt and uncle when we are done here." Albus had not expected Harry to break out into laughter.  _It just shows that he really is still a child that he cannot grasp the seriousness of our conversation._

"Don't be ridiculous, Headmaster. Of course I'm not going back there."  _Insolent little-...no, I must keep calm and prove to him that I am the one in authority here._

"Harry, I must insist. There are reasons that you do not yet understand, but-"

"And you have yet to explain a single one of them. I am currently living with my godfather under a Fidelius Charm and, while I think we both know that it is not a perfect protection, no protection can be. I would appreciate it if you would stop insulting my intelligence by arguing indefensible positions from authority."  _There is some truth to that, but the Fidelius cannot protect you everywhere. Why must he be so difficult? An appeal to his love for his parents should get him back in line._

"Very well, Harry. When your mother died protecting you, she infused her protection into your very blood. Based on that I have erected wards of unparalleled power at the residence of your last living blood relatives: your aunt and cousin."  _Will you still be so dismissive of the wards now that you know how they connect you to your mother I wonder?_

"And what do these 'wards of unparalleled power' actually do, sir?" Albus didn't like the unimpressed tone Harry was using.  _It's just a boy trying to play a game. Ignore the attitude and let the facts speak for themselves._

"They ensure that Voldemort will not be able to touch you while you call that place home."

"That implies that I have been unprotected since the end of my first year, sir." Albus could feel the blood draining from his face.

"What?!"  _That should not be possible._ Albus wracked his memories for the last time he had checked the wards.  _I can't remember exactly when it was, but I fear I may have neglected my inspections since Harry came to Hogwarts._

"Once I was introduced to Hogwarts I started seeing the castle as my home. I even told Hermione and Weasley as much on the train ride back to London that year. Add to that the fact that Riddle did touch me during his little resurrection party and I think we can dismiss your protections 'that have no equal' as obsolete and unreliable."  _No. How much more have I missed?_  "If that was all, sir, I would like to get back to my studies and my girlfriend."  _That most certainly will not be all. I still have much that I need to discover from you, my boy. Not least of which is how you removed the tracking charms and how you managed to evade us for so long. Asking about the tracking charms would be foolish on the off chance that he destroyed them by accident. First I need to determine if anyone else was involved._

"We can return to that topic later. If you're going to insist on hiding yourself away like that I must ask you to share your protections with me so that I can evaluate if they suffice." Dumbledore said.  _That should reveal if there is someone else involved in all this._

"No."  _Excuse me?_

"Harry, surely you don't believe that a fifteen year-old can devise a perfect protection? If nothing else my years of experience can be of tremendous benefit to you."  _Now then, boy, what reason will you give for why you believe you know best?_

"I think I just told you that there is no such thing as perfect protection. Telling the leader of a group with such terrible operational security seems like a poor first step to any kind of protection though."  _Fine, we'll leave the matter alone for the moment if you'll tell me how you know what you do about the Order. It will at least appease Alastor if I discover that and hopefully mollify him towards Severus._

"Ah yes, I believe you mentioned something along those lines when you first arrived here. Would you care to tell me how you learned things that we have taken great pains to keep secret?"

"Your lot are terrible at keeping secrets or even basic, analytical thinking."  _That arrogance that Severus is always complaining about is becoming more and more pronounced. I am happy that I at least knew to trust his abilities as a spy. Minerva allowed her fondness for James and Lilly to cloud her judgement far more than Severus allowed his hatred for James to cloud his like she claimed. Of course she apparently forgot how much he cared for Lilly._

"Harry, we cannot work together if you keep fighting me every step of the way."

"Actually, Headmaster, as I understand it my age also forms a barrier to us working together. Only of age wizards may join your Order, isn't that right? My explanation of your deficiencies was merely a friendly service, provided in the hope that you don't kill a large number of people, some of whom I even like."  _Merlin save me from presumptuous teenagers._

"Are you going to demand that we make an exception and allow you to join the Order then?"

"Not at all, sir. I have no desire to join your order. Which brings us rather neatly back to the point I was making. I am not one of your underlings, sir. You are merely guests in my godfather's house."  _And you are merely proving Severus' discernment with every word._

"Harry, we can only stand against Voldemort if we stand united. Can't you understand that?"

"Not running around doing objectively daft things you are entirely unqualified for also helps, sir."  _And you believe yourself qualified to determine what constitutes an 'objectively daft pursuit'?_

"You are, I believe referring to our vigil over the Department of Mysteries. In fact, I am told that you said you removed the very reason we assigned a guard there."  _How much do you really know?_

"You mean that prophecy Professor Trelawney gave you? Yeah, it's gone." For the first time since their conversation started, Harry was looking Albus in the eye.  _I am sorry, my boy, but if you will not share this information willingly I shall have to take it by force. It will also tell me how much training you need to protect your mind and the prophecy._ Albus launched his Legillimency probe and was nearly shocked into breaking it when it rammed into fully formed Occlumency barriers.  _How? When?_ Before Albus could formulate an exact query and push on into his student's mind his world erupted in pain. He prayed for it to end and when the gentle oblivion of unconsciousness came for him Albus sank into it gratefully.

:-:-:-:-:

"Albus Dumbledore, I need a word!" Albus looked up as his door was thrown open to admit an irate Minerva McGonagall.

"Certainly, Minerva. What seems to be the matter?"

"Your interference with my students is the matter. Did you or did you not try to use Legillimency on Mr. Potter?" Albus imagined that he could see steam coming from Minerva's ears as she stood fuming in front of his desk. He remained silent as he did not think that any answer would satisfy Minerva in this mood. It turned out that no answer riled her just as much. "If you'll not answer that, then maybe you can tell me why you were screaming like a man under the Cruciatus? Do we need to report Potter to the DMLE?"  _No, that would be a disaster with the way Harry's been acting lately. By the tone of her voice Minerva realises that she's suggested an impossible course of action. Unfortunately I can no longer trust that she wouldn't take it anyway._

"I do not believe that there is any need to involve the Ministry in this matter."

"So Harry did not attack you?"

"He did not."

"Then it must have been a defensive action. Albus what on earth possessed you to try and use Legillimency on a  _student_?"  _Bugger. She_ would _reach that conclusion. I suppose that the best I can hope for now is that she'll keep it to herself._

"Mr. Potter is currently in possession of some extremely sensitive information. I am confident that he will be able to protect that information." Albus couldn't quite hide a grimace as he remembered the pain that invading Harry's mind had caused him.  _It is unlike any Occlumency I have ever heard of and most certainly a Dark application of the_   _art. I need to remember to warn Severus of the risks of entering Harry's mind. Given their antagonistic relationship I shudder to think what Harry would do._

"So the lad managed to throw you out of his mind like you deserved." _I hardly think that I deserved that._  "While we're on the subject of Mr. Potter, would you mind telling me why you undid the changes I made to his schedule?"

"It is imperative that Mr. Potter study Divination, Minerva."

"Why? Because of that prophecy that he stole from under the Order's nose?"

"It is a matter between Mr. Potter and myself, Minerva." Albus tried to convey that he was not going to accept any further discussion of the subject. Minerva looked mutinous for a moment before she huffed.

"I don't suppose that you'd be willing to give me a straight answer as to why you took away the prefect's badge that he's so rightly earnt either?"

"We already ask so much of that young man that it would be cruel to heap even more expectations on his shoulders." Albus was actually a little proud of the mournful tone he managed to inject into that statement after the discussion they'd just had. "I am confident that Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger will do an admirable job."

"Mr. Weasley and whoever ends up as the girls' prefect you mean. Ms. Granger turned down the position when she heard that you had assigned Mr. Weasley as her counterpart. Apparently he's been feeding her love potions over the summer and only Mr. Potter's timely intervention prevented Ms. Granger from suffering more than she did." That did shock Albus.  _Love potions? It has been a long time since those were a problem at this school. I can't take another scandal or I'll lose my position here too. Judging by Minerva's ire I at least won't need to personally keep an eye on the matter._

"I think that you can understand that we cannot reclaim Mr. Weasley's badge without solid evidence of gross misconduct. You are of course entirely within your rights to consider him on probation as a prefect." Minerva just nodded stiffly. "If that was all?" Albus' tone was a clear dismissal of his deputy. Minerva's eyes narrowed dangerously before she whirled around and stalked out of his office, slamming the door behind her.  _I believe I may need to do more to curtail Harry's influence in the school than just preventing him from becoming a prefect. If this continues there will be a rebellion which could severely damage our capacity to stand up to Tom and his followers._

:-:-:-:-:

_Finally there is some good news._ Albus had just heard from Minerva that Amelia had arrested Dolores.  _This will undermine Cornelius' position at the Ministry which will allow me to regain some standing and possibly even a seat on the Wizengamot. Amelia is likely to become the next Minister. The real question is: should I influence the appointment of an interim Minister and try to get someone in that office who will be more willing to work with me?_

_No, it isn't worth the effort or the risk. Amelia will at least work with me in our struggle against Tom. I am not so confident in my political capital at the moment that I can afford to waste any either. At least the situation here at Hogwarts is easier to handle. I will of course search for a new Defence Professor, but Merlin knows that the whole reason that dreadful women got the post was that I couldn't find one this summer. I will need to make sure that the student body knows that it's Harry Potter's fault that there is no one to teach them that subject anymore._

_It is unfortunate that denying Harry the position of prefect has not significantly dented his recruitment effort. The parallels with Tom truly are uncanny, but all Minerva can do is be snide about how well the candidates_ she  _had chosen for the position are performing. At least Severus is still seeing matters clearly. He truly is the most important asset the Light has in its struggle against the Dark. I hope that he does not take it too hard when Amelia inevitably gives Sirius a trial._

:-:-:-:-:

_One step forward, two steps back._ Albus was sitting behind his desk with his head in his hands.  _It wasn't enough that Sirius had to escalate the tensions in the school by showing up in person, now I have to deal with this. Is it really so hard for people to understand that we must work together to defeat the Dark? Having to expend all this energy controlling those who are supposed to be my allies feels like a waste._ Albus heaved a sigh and reviewed the information he had just received from Severus. The Death Eaters had shown up at the Granger house. They had cast a Human Revealing Charm and confirmed that there were two people in the house. Six of them had simultaneously cast Fiendfyre. Once the house had burnt completely to the ground they had joined their master for the assault on Azkaban. Severus had reported that they bragged about their kills where Severus could hear them and he brought word to Albus.  _Damnation. Harry's already out of control and this news is going to make matters even worse. I can't even say that we did anything to protect her family. The Order can't afford the resources necessary to protect a pair of muggles, even if they are indirectly important to Harry Potter._

_Wait. Why can't I say that we did all we could to protect them? It's not particularly ethical, but sacrifices must be made if we are to win this war. I could inform Ms. Granger that I had erected wards at her house and that the Order responded. She will understand that since Fiendfyre was used we had no chance to arrive in time and the DMLE records will provide me with corroborating evidence._

_Is this really the right thing to do?_

_Yes. I must regain some influence with Harry if we are to save any part of the wizarding world. There is no one else who can fulfil this role, unpleasant though it may be at times._ Albus stood up and walked over to his fireplace. Throwing in a handful of floo-powder he called out "Minerva McGonagall." and stuck his head in the flames.

"Albus? Is something the matter, aside from the obvious?"

"Indeed there is, my dear. I must ask you to have Ms. Granger visit my office after her class with you today."

"Certainly. May I know what this is about?"

"I believe it would be more appropriate to leave the decision to tell you up to Ms. Granger herself." Minerva's face took on a worried cast.

"Very well. I will see to it that she goes straight to your office after class."

"Thank you, Minerva." Albus withdrew from the fire.  _I believe that it will be for the best if I try to get some work done before I meet with Ms. Granger. Even in the face of human tragedy the bureaucracy churns on._ Albus sat down at his desk and spent the next two hours trying to lose himself in the inescapable torrent of parchment that was needed to keep Hogwarts running. It wasn't until the witch in the portrait over the door announced that he had visitors that Albus put his quill down.

"Come in, Minerva, Ms. Granger." he called out. It was one of the small pleasures of his life to know that everyone kept guessing how he could possible know when they were about to knock. The door opened and Minerva led a nervous looking Ms. Granger into the office. "Ah, welcome. Please, have a seat." Albus watched as the two women sat themselves down in front of his desk. Minerva opened her mouth as if she was going to ask what they were doing here but closed it and shook her head slightly.

"Thank you for coming. I'm afraid that I am the bearer of terrible news. Yesterday Lord Voldemort freed his most loyal followers from Azkaban." Albus noticed that both women across from him were giving him looks that clearly told him that they had read the Prophet this morning. "In order to distract the aurors and tie them up with other matters he first launched a series of smaller attacks. It pains me to tell you that one of those attacks was in Crawley." Albus could see the news hit Ms. Granger like a physical blow. For a moment she seemed to stop breathing. He forged ahead with his tale, feeling a twinge of guilt that he was using Ms. Granger's shocked state to feed her a yarn.  _It must be done, for the sake of all._ "I had erected wards to protect your parents. Unfortunately the Death Eaters who appeared at their home used Fiendfyre and overwhelmed the wards in short order. I responded to the alarm with several select members of the Order. We were too late. By the time we got there all that was left was a pile of ashes." Albus put on his gravest look, which wasn't hard as he did feel for the new orphan. "I am truly sorry that we could not do more, Ms. Granger. All I have left to offer is my condolences for this loss."

A heavy silence fell in the Headmaster's Office. Ms. Granger was slowly shaking her head as tears leaked from her eyes. Her mouth was moving, but no sound came out. Albus thought that if he could hear the words she wasn't quite speaking he would hear her denying the possibility that her parents had died. Minerva was the first to move. She tried to embrace Ms. Granger who abruptly shot up and fled from the office.

"Ms. Granger!" Minerva called after her.

"Leave her be, Minerva." Albus interjected with a sad voice. "She must have a chance to come to terms with this massive loss. She will come to us when she is ready. May I ask you to see that she is excused from her classes for the rest of the day?" Minerva nodded, her eyes filling with unshed tears.

"I will see to it right away, Albus. Please excuse me." As Minerva left his office Albus could only hope that the Granger parents would forgive him this deception and understand that their death would at least have meaning this way.

:-:-:-:-:

_It's a good thing I woke up so early today._  Albus reread the note he had found on his desk this morning and hoped that he would be in time to avert this latest disaster.  _Somehow the way things have been going just doesn't inspire much confidence._ The painting of the witch over his door let him know that Minerva was about to knock on his door.

"Come in, Minerva." When Minerva entered his office she looked as unbending as she ever had.

"You wanted to see me, Albus?"

"I did."  _Though I was not at all sure that you would consent to appear here._ "I was hoping to discuss this note with you." Albus showed her the note in question.

"I thought it was perfectly clear. The fifth year Gryffindor prefects were behaving in a manner wholly inappropriate to their positions. I have removed them and assigned replacements."

"As is, of course, your prerogative. It is those replacements that I wished to speak with you about. I believe you may remember our discussion at the beginning of term about the matter? Mr. Potter has more than enough pressure on his shoulders and after the recent loss of her parents, I would hesitate to ask so much of Ms. Granger."  _That and ever since that loss Ms. Granger has become as stand-offish as Harry ever was. At this point she is driving him further from the Light, not bringing us closer as I had hoped. The last thing we need is those two with authority and more time to spend together._

"I do. Your arguments didn't make any sense then and even less now."

"Oh?"

"Those two are the most exemplary students in my House and possibly the school. To not at least offer them the badges would be an insult and a blow to the entire prefect system. You should know that the current perception of that system is rather dim. All that is without taking into account that they are already performing the duties of prefects, which rubbishes your supposition that it would be too much for them. If you want to take some pressure off of Mr. Potter's shoulders may I suggest getting a Defence Professor so that we do not have to rely on a student to provide instruction in that subject, however capable?"

"Minerva, I am afraid that I will have to insist that you find other candidates to bestow this honour on." Albus never really registered that Minerva was moving until he was being dragged across his desk by his beard to get a closer look at the raging eyes of his deputy.

"Ma tha thu a 'faighinn ann an dòigh mo, tha mi' mionnachadh mi tie ur feusag timcheall air do ghlùinean agus put thu sìos an staidhre." Albus wasn't sure whether to be grateful for his fluency in so many languages.

"Is it altogether necessary to threaten me with tying my beard around my knees and pushing me down the stairs?" Albus asked in as calm a voice as he could manage.

"If you'll nae stop being an arse about this any other way? Yes!" Minerva's accent was out in full force as she hissed at her superior. "Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger are my new prefects. I suggest you find a way to cope with that state of affairs, as it will nae be changing." Letting go of his beard Minerva stormed from Albus' office.  _I think I will need to think about alternate ways to deal with Harry and Ms. Granger's disruptive influences. Maybe Severus will have some ideas?_

:-:-:-:-:

"Albus, we need to discuss something with you. Do you have a moment?" Albus looked up from his paperwork to see Molly Weasley's head floating in his fireplace.

"For you? Of course. What can I do for you, Molly?"

"Do you mind coming over? It's not something I want to discuss over the floo and I'm not the only one affected."  _This is both intriguing and worrying._

"Very well, Molly, I'll be right over." Molly's face disappeared from the flames and Albus walked over to the fireplace. Taking a moment to centre himself, he grabbed some floo powder and threw it into the grate. "The Burrow." Albus stepped serenely out of the fireplace in Molly Weasley's excellent kitchen. He could, in the privacy of his own mind, admit to a certain amount of surprise when he noticed Ms. Brown and her parents sitting at the kitchen table with young Ronald and his parents, but none of the other Weasleys. "Well now, I am becoming most curious to hear what I might be able to help you with." Albus said as he folded himself into a free chair. The two fathers looked at each other before Mr. Brown indicated that Arthur should begin.

"Albus, it has come to our attention that our children took advantage of their prefect position to engage in activities they were clearly not ready for. We are asking for your help in dealing with the consequences of those actions." Albus didn't take long to put together those clues, he had spent most of his life around teenagers after all, and wanted to bang his head on the kitchen table.  _It's almost like the universe is throwing up one chance after another for the Board to throw me out on my ear. We haven't had a pregnancy for nearly thirty years. Why must these brats test me so?_  Outwardly Albus showed nothing but calm consideration.

"I am unsure what you believe I can do for your families, Arthur."

"We've already established that these two will be marrying come spring." Mr. Brown offered as he cast a hard look at the two teens who seemed to shrink in on themselves. "We were hoping that we could convince you to keep my daughter on the rolls as Lavender  _Brown_  once that happens to spare us some of the humiliation these two seem determined to visit on us."  _Yes, dear Mab, yes! Keeping this quiet is certainly the best option for now._

"I believe I can understand your position, Mr. Brown. It should be possible to lock down the names in the register until the end of the school year at least. After that I will have to allow them to updated though so that we can find the names and addresses of all our new students." Mr. Brown nodded gratefully as Albus spoke.

"I understand, Headmaster. Thank you for being willing to do even this much." Albus nodded gravely at the man.

"I am pleased that I was able to offer at least some assistance in this matter. I hope you will not hesitate to contact me if there is anything else I can do for you." As the adults nodded Albus turned his gaze on his students. "I can not say that I approve of the manner by which this situation came about, however I offer you both my congratulations. A new life is a wonderful thing and we should not forget that." Ms. Brown placed a hand over her abdomen while Mr. Weasley looked grateful for what would appear to be the first words of support they had received since this new development became known. Albus stood up and adjusted his robes. "If that was all, I will return to Hogwarts. It appears that I have another administrative task that I must add to a never-ending list." he told those present with a smile. Albus let them bow him towards the floo with profuse thanks. When he was back in his office he collapsed in his chair and thanked magic that he had dodged that curse. There might still be some fallout but it would be less than if the two in question had been forced to publicly announce their situation. Now it could be hidden until they had finished their O.W.L.s and then it could be someone else's problem for once.  _I'd better make sure the Register is frozen or I may be celebrating prematurely._  With a groan Albus got up to attend to his task.

:-:-:-:-:

"Headmaster, Auror Shacklebolt is about to knock on your door." Albus looked up at the portrait's comment.  _Kingsley? I wonder what can have happened?_

"Come in, Kingsley." Albus called out. The door was hastily opened and a very worried looking Kingsley walked in.

"We've got a problem, Headmaster."  _We must do if it has you this rattled._ "Hogsmeade was just attacked by Death Eaters and Dementors." Albus managed to control his impulse to charge out of the room. It wouldn't do any good until he knew where he could best take action.

"Judging by your use of the past tense the threat has passed. I take it Amelia's investments in your Department are paying off?" Kingsley shook his head, looking pale.

"Not quite, sir. We got there after the fighting was already done. I don't have a full report for you yet. When we got to Hogsmeade we found Harry Potter limping with a crutch, absolutely covered with blood, through the wreckage of what was once a town. Ambrose Montrose and I accompanied him up to the castle while the rest stayed behind to investigate and clean up. Ambrose is currently gathering a list of those students still unaccounted for from Minerva." Kingsley took a deep, steadying breath. "Sir, on the way up here Potter claimed to have dispatched 24 Death Eaters and by the look of the boy he butchered them."  _And in one day my worst fears are realised. Morrighan's Cloak, twenty-four lives taken; that would scar any soul. After what happened at the graveyard I can no longer deny that Harry has already fallen into the temptation of using lethal force. If he has managed to take twenty-four lives then he is either more powerful than I knew or colder and more vicious and I am not sure which would be worse. I need to speak with him and see if there is any remorse still in him. I have to know what we are facing._

"Where is Mr. Potter now?"

"Hagrid and I dropped him off at the Hospital Wing."

"Please wait a moment while I summon Severus. I hope that you will be willing to share your tale with him while we walk over to Poppy's domain. It is information that will be a matter of public record soon enough, but being the first to report it to Lord Voldemort should afford Severus some protection." Kingsley nodded his understanding. Albus moved over to his fireplace and threw in a handful of floo powder. "Severus Snape. We have an emergency, Severus." A moment later the dour Potions Master stepped out of the flames.

"What has happened, Headmaster?" Severus asked, ignoring Kingsley's presence as Albus had come to expect of him.

"Several Death Eaters mounted an attack on Hogsmeade today." Albus saw Severus eyes widen in panic for a moment.  _Those who do not trust him simply do not look further than the surface. The signs are there. Why would Severus be worried about an attack if he did not care for the students involved?_  "Kingsley will inform you of the facts that are available right now, so that you may make your report tonight."

"I take it that the attack was thwarted then?" Severus asked and Albus smiled as he detected an undercurrent of relief.

"After a manner of speaking. It would appear that Mr. Potter has taken more lives today; many more." Albus could see the panic in Severus' eyes.  _I think you may be the only one who understands what that means as I do, my friend._  "We are on our way to visit him in the Hospital Wing right now." Severus gave a curt nod and fell in beside Kingsley once they had left the office, Kingsley sharing the necessary information with Severus.  _Would that my Order always functioned with such unity._  It didn't take the threesome long to reach the Hospital Wing. Albus did not bother slowing down, but rather strode in full of purpose. Harry was reclining on one of Poppy's beds.

"Mr. Potter I have heard some disturbing news today." Albus waded straight into the matter at hand.

"Congratulations, Headmaster. Looking out your window and coming down to help us out would have probably gotten you that information more quickly though." Harry retorted.  _That is not a good response. This antagonism of his has been growing since I first noticed it last year._

"I am not referring to what others may or may not have done. I am referring to the fact that you murdered twenty-four people today." When Harry responded with a considering look rather than any kind of remorse Albus felt his heart sink.  _He is going Dark under our very noses. I must find a way to bring back the boy he was when he started here. I don't think that I have the resolve to end his life if it comes to that._

"I fought and killed twenty-four terrorists, Snape's little friends, who were hell-bent on killing children, Headmaster. Children you are supposed to be protecting." The way the boy spoke was horrifyingly familiar.  _Oh dear, I had no idea that the Horcrux was already affecting him to such an extent._  "That will be my burden to live with for the rest of my life. Yours will be that you sat in your tower and did nothing while your students were in mortal danger,  _again_." Suddenly Harry's hand shot out and grabbed his wand. Albus drew his wand in a flash of movement and saw from the corner of his eye that Severus had done the same.  _I will not let him throw curses around injured students in my care. I will do what I can to restrain him; and I will not stop Severus if he decides to take the ultimate precaution._

"Put that away, Headmaster." Harry snapped. "I put up a Silencing Charm because children who are already upset should not have to hear this. I saw at least two students dead and one girl who had been Kissed by Dementors. Somehow though you are more concerned with the fate of their murderers than the fact that the kids around us have lost friends and classmates today."  _I am concerned about them, my boy, but they do not have the potential to end the world as we know it. I must focus on the threat in front of me for now; at least for as long as you prove yourself remorseless and irredeemable._  Desperately Albus tried appealing once again to the boy he had once known.

"Harry, surely you can see that those men could have been redeemed; shown the light and gone on to live productive lives. At the very least they should have been allowed to stand trial and be judged by people whose wisdom has been proven. There may have even been some that were only acting under the Imperius Curse. That would mean you murdered innocent men."

"I didn't have time to sort out if some of them might be innocent while they were taking potshots at children I  _know_  to be innocent. There were too damn many of them to use non-lethal force and survive. Like I said: that will be my burden to bear. If you don't agree with the way I protect your students then get off your arse and protect them yourself. Now, if you don't mind, this is a hospital and some of us are recovering from injuries."  _Ancients preserve us, he is nearly lost to us. He calls it a burden so casually, but he demonstrates no remorse, just irritation._

"He's right, Headmaster. These children need rest." Albus turned around to find Poppy standing with her hands on her hips. Her face was arranged in a slightly strange expression but it was clear that she was not going to be placated on this matter. As he turned back to face Harry, Albus noticed the other students around them. He had been so focused on Harry that he had completely missed that they were playing to an audience.  _An audience that will pass on what has happened here on to their friends in record time. That would not necessarily be a bad thing and nor would their looks of fear and mistrust, if those looks weren't directed at_ us _. These students are choosing to believe Harry over me. They are choosing to believe in Harry's Darkness over the Light._  Albus felt a cold bead of sweat run down his back.  _If they choose to follow Harry's twisted beliefs then I may be teaching the generation that finally plunges our world into Darkness. I need to find a way to turn them all back to the Light. Pressing the issue here will only result in these children pulling back further into the Dark. That must not happen. I will have to retreat and regroup._  Albus wasn't quite content to leave without a final warning to Harry and those watching them.

"One day, Harry, I fear you will see that you have made an irreparable mistake today. I hope that day comes in time to prevent further tragedy."  _Though I fear I already know the answer._ Outside the Hospital Wing Severus and Kingsley each headed off to make reports to opposite sides of the war.  _There is an irony in that as well as a wonderful example of how the Light will always be stronger than the Dark because we work together; because we know love._

Albus made his way back to his office with his thoughts churning.  _I have to discover what has changed Harry so. The first sign of this behaviour came last year at the second task. I had thought that that was merely stress brought on by the Tournament. That would be entirely understandable. So forget that for a moment. What else changed then?_ Albus felt a memory surface of Harry and Ms. Granger announcing their relationship the very next day.  _No. It can't be. Love does not lead people to the Dark._

_Does it not?_  Gellert's voice asked in the recesses of Albus' mind causing him to shudder. No, Albus was very well acquainted with the Dark path misguided love could drag one down.  _But why would Harry's association with Ms. Granger turn him Dark? The girl has always been very insistent on following the rules. Well, except for when she and Harry embarked on another of their adventures. Come to think of it, despite her persona of someone desperate to follow the rules, she has caused as much chaos as Harry has. Why have I never seen this before?_  Albus had a sneaking suspicion that he knew the answer to that question.  _She is clever. The most intelligent student I have seen since...Merlin help me, but it all fits. Ms. Granger has that same desire for unfiltered knowledge Tom and Gellert had. There is no telling what she may have come across and been corrupted by in her insatiable search for knowledge. If she is Harry's 'Gellert', so to speak, then I have been looking at this matter all wrong._ Albus gave himself a mental shake.  _I cannot condemn a young girl over a mere suspicion, but I swear I will keep a closer watch on the two of them from now on._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone wondering about Snape's responses in this chapter, just imagine what Voldemort's reasoning would be behind each bit of news that he receives. There was an attack that Snape wasn't told about? Could indicate a potentially fatal lack of trust. The attack was thwarted anyway? Snape is a little safer from suspicions of betraying his master. Everyone who carried out the raid is dead? Voldemort's going to be throwing out Cruciatus Curses like rice at a wedding.


	4. Dumbledore's Desperation - Year 5, Part II

Albus was seated in the Great Hall eating his breakfast, but he couldn't say that he had noticed what it tasted like yet. He had spent the past two months observing the interaction between Harry Potter and Hermione Granger, to the point where he had even suspended his hunt for Tom's Horcruxes, and he was disturbed by what he had seen.  _Harry was smiling of all things the day after he had killed those men and it was more pronounced around Ms. Granger. Time and again I have noticed that he is utterly unconcerned with anyone's opinion but hers. Ms. Lovegood does hold some small sway over Harry but it is nothing compared to the way Ms. Granger affects him._ Even more disturbing had been how easy it was to feel the cold disdain Ms. Granger held for him and how it was drawing Harry into a similar mindset.  _I was so focused on the similarities between Tom and Harry that I failed to notice the similarities between Harry and myself. Worse I never noticed the similarities between Ms. Granger, Tom and Gellert._

_Now what do I do about this situation? It is clear that I must find a way to free Harry from Ms. Granger's influence if he is to fulfil his destiny and save our world. A good man in thrall to evil is still a danger to the rest of society._ Albus had thought long and hard on this matter but was still no closer to finding a solution. This particular morning Harry would be overseeing the Defence practicals for the O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. Albus felt a twinge of pain at another similarity between Harry and himself that he had missed due to his blinkered thinking.  _It's all so obvious in hindsight._ As Albus watched Minerva give Harry his class lists he noticed Severus entering the Hall with hurried steps. When Severus reached Albus he bent close and whispered "We have a problem. I think that the Dark Lord may be suspicious of my true allegiance." Albus stiffened when he heard his spy's words.

"I think we should continue this discussion in the privacy of my office." Albus said as calmly as he could manage. Severus gave a tense nod and together the two men hurried from the Hall. They did not speak again until they were safely ensconced in the Headmaster's office. "Now then, Severus, what has led you to the grave conclusion that Tom has seen through you?"

"He has demanded a test of my loyalty with my life forfeit if I fail."

"And what is this task he has set for you?"

"Kidnap Potter and deliver him to the Dark Lord." Albus felt the bottom drop out of his stomach.  _This is a nightmare. Either way I will lose one of the greatest assets the Light has in this war._

"I am sorry, Severus. You know that we cannot allow Harry to fall into the enemy's hands." Albus could understand the grimace that crossed the Potions Master's face.  _I did just hand him something that is just shy of a death sentence._  "Is there no other way to placate Tom?" Severus hesitated.

"The Dark Lord has given another task, though it was not to me. I believe that if I help in achieving that objective that I may be able to buy myself some time at least."

"What task is this and whom was it given to?" Albus felt dread settling in his gut as he asked the question, knowing that he was likely about to condemn someone to a horrific death.

"The Dark Lord has demanded that Draco bring him the Granger chit before the year ends or his family will die."  _Tom, have you truly fallen so far that you will drag the next generation fully into this war?_  Albus felt every one of his many years weighing him down at that moment.  _I admit that I asked for a way to remove Ms. Granger's influence over Harry, but can I really go this far? And how much of an advantage will it give Tom? Will it save Harry or drive him over the edge?_

_No. I will ensure that Harry does not fall, but stands stronger in the Light than he did before. I_ can  _do this._

_Should I?_

"I believe that I need to think on this matter, Severus. I would ask you to return here at lunch so that we may discuss this further."

"Of course, Headmaster. I feel I must emphasize that this is not a matter that will wait forever though."

"I know, my friend. I know." Albus felt the weight of his words as they left his mouth. Severus nodded in understanding and left Albus to wrestle with his conscience.  _The problem is that while I know it is for the best it is still an absolutely beastly thing to do to a person. So what I need to weigh is whether Ms. Granger's life is worth the advantage of Severus remaining a trusted member of Tom's Inner Circle, the Malfoys' survival and Harry's recovery from her influence. I have always held that all life is precious, but I fear that more lives will be lost if I try to protect Ms. Granger. Worse, she may well be the indirect cause of some of those lives being ended._ Albus heaved a sigh.  _If I'm honest with myself I know what must be done, no matter how distasteful. I am just trying to make it sound more attractive to myself at this point._  Albus straightened up as he admitted to himself that he had made his decision.  _I will summon Ms. Granger to my office during lunch and Severus and young Draco will take her to do what they must._

Albus spent the next few hours trying to distract himself with paperwork. It wasn't very effective. He knew what he was doing and no matter how justified it was it didn't sit well with him. He was so distracted by the burden of his conscience that he did not realise how much time had passed until Severus knocked on his door.

"Have you reached a decision, Headmaster?"

"I have, my boy. I just pray that it is the right one. Tippy!" A house elf appeared next to Albus' desk. "Tippy could you ask both Mr. Malfoy and Ms. Granger to come to my office as quickly as they can?"

"Yes, Master Head, sir." Tippy replied before popping out. Albus gave a sad smile at the relief and disbelief that he could read in Severus' eyes.  _It truly is unfortunate that he has never gotten used to being valued. He is so prepared to die for our cause and receives so little in return for the risks he takes. I truly feel that Severus may be the most noble of us all._ The two men sat waiting in silence for the summoned teens to arrive. The first to do so was Mr. Malfoy. Severus stood up the moment the young man entered and pulled him into a corner. Albus presumed that Severus was reassuring Mr. Malfoy that his family would be out of danger soon. Albus trusted Severus to use this as much as he could to bring that family back to the Light. A few moments later another knock sounded at the door.

"Come in, Ms. Granger." Albus said. He could hear the weariness in his own voice. As the door opened he gave a mental apology to the girl before a bright red Stunner erupted from his wand. With a heavy heart Albus turned to Severus. "This sacrifice must be made, my friend. Make sure you use it well." Severus nodded gravely and bound and Disillusioned Ms. Granger's form. With a curt motion of his head he summoned Mr. Malfoy to follow him out of the room.  _I hope that I have done the right thing today. It certainly wasn't easy. I must prepare myself to ensure that we gain the largest possible advantage from this and that means preparing to undo the harm Ms. Granger has done to Harry's way of thinking._

:-:-:-:-:

Albus was sitting uneasily at dinner in the Great Hall. The mood in the Hall was ebullient as the fifth and seventh years celebrated the end of their respective examinations. Albus was watching the door for one student in particular to come in. When Harry did come in Albus felt the tension in his body increase.  _How he reacts to her absence will tell me how much work I have to do to repair her damage._  Albus watched as Harry attentively scanned the Hall. His worried scowl told Albus whom Harry had been looking for.  _A slightly stronger reaction than I had hoped. It will be a long and arduous task to bring Harry back to the Light._  A loud caw distracted Albus from his thoughts and he watched with the rest of the Hall as a raven soared down from the rafters and landed on Harry's outstretched arm.

Harry removed the scroll that was attached to the bird's leg and read it. Albus noted that there must have been a time delayed Fire Making Charm on the parchment.  _A charm that only activates when the reader has finished the message? Ingenious. That could be an extremely valuable tool for my Order._ Albus was interrupted in his speculation on the uses of such a charm when a wind started blowing through the Great Hall. Looking up Albus felt his chest tighten with fear as he saw where the wind was coming from. Harry Potter's magic was manifesting outside of his control as the young man's face contorted in rage.  _May the ancients have mercy. The danger to our world was greater than I ever knew._ Albus flinched as Harry abruptly turned around and stalked from the Hall.

"Winky, my armour! Dobby, get the sword!" Albus gasped as two elves popped in, one carrying a bundle of black dragon-hide and the other the Sword of Gryffindor.  _He gave those commands far too naturally. What have you been up to, my boy? What have I missed?_  Albus sat stunned for a moment until he saw the Weasley twins and Ms. Lovegood racing from the Hall.  _That's right, this moment is critical. This is where I must save our world._ Albus stood up and started striding from the Hall after his students.

"Albus! What is going on here?" Minerva called as she drew level with him. As he turned to look at her Albus noticed that the rest of the Great Hall seemed to be emptying behind them.

"I am not entirely sure, Minerva. Something tells me that we will be called upon to prevent Mr. Potter from exercising one of the more unfortunate traits one tends to find in those sorted into Gryffindor House." Minerva's eyes narrowed as she understood what he was saying.

"And what makes you think that Mr. Potter is about to do something reckless?"

"My dear, one does not storm out of a room like that if one is fully considering all aspects of one's course of action." Minerva just pursed her lips.  _I miss the days when she would just listen to my words and understand the wisdom behind them._  The full parade of students, staff and examiners emerged into the Entrance Hall and looked around for Harry Potter and his friends. They did not have to look for long as a door was rather forcefully ripped open and Harry Potter strode out clad entirely in black dragon-hide with the Sword of Gryffindor strapped to his back in a scabbard that fit it suspiciously well. His face was pulled into a hard, determined look.  _It is Death that stands before us now._  Albus mentally shook himself to get rid of the unwelcome thought that had popped up in his head.

"Harry, I must ask what you intend to do." Albus spoke up in his most calming voice. He was disheartened by the glare Harry shot his way.

"I intend to put Riddle and his inbred menagerie down like the mad dogs they are and get my girlfriend home safely." the young man snarled out. Albus felt his heart clench at the sheer venom in that voice.  _I hope that we are not too late to save you, my boy._

"Harry, you know what your role is in the fight against Tom. Will you risk that, risk the world, over your teenage hormones?" Albus asked, trying to appeal to the boy's sense of right. It turned out to be a mistake.

"I'm not 'risking it', old man. I'm ending it; one way or the other. Why don't you go back to your office and sit on your arse? You're good at that." The rage Harry was displaying frightened Albus.  _I must ensure that he does not do anything we will come to regret._  Surreptitiously Albus drew his wand ready to bind his student if he could not be reasoned with.

"I can't allow you to this, Harry. You are clearly not in your right mind. If you'll come with me, we'll-" As he spoke, Albus vision was suddenly filled with red before darkness slammed into him and he knew no more.

:-:-:-:-:

Albus groaned as he tried to open his eyes.  _Why do I hurt?_

"Albus? Here, this will help against the pain. I'm afraid you will have to take it easy for a while. You're not as young as you were." Albus recognised Poppy's crisp tones, though there was an unusual level of tension in her voice. Albus gratefully drank down the potion that was held to his lips. After he had swallowed relief began sweeping through his body. Albus eased his eyes open and reached out for his glasses. Pushing himself up into a sitting position he slipped them onto his nose.  _Now what happened? I remember Severus coming to see me...the regrettable affair with Ms. Granger...Harry received a letter...oh. I don't recall even seeing him drawing his wand._

"Poppy, what happened last night? Did someone manage to dissuade Harry from his rash course of action?" Poppy shot him a look that Albus couldn't quite read.

"No. Mr. Potter left. From what I've heard he went to wherever You Know Who was hiding and managed to rescue Ms. Granger. Neither has any lasting injuries."  _At least Harry is still alive. It is still not his time to die. Poppy hasn't mentioned anything about my role in Ms. Granger's disappearance. I may have a chance to salvage this yet. All it will take is a carefully applied Memory Charm._  Albus mentally shuddered at how easy that course of action had occurred to him.  _Yet another distasteful situation. I hope that it will be the last one for a long while._ _I suppose I have at least learnt something about Harry and Ms. Granger. Unfortunately the information is worrying. Such power being led astray will undoubtedly end the world as we know it._ Albus' musings were interrupted by a contingent of aurors entering the Hospital Wing, preceded by the Minister herself. Albus decided that it was best to take control of the situation now.

"Good morning, Amelia. To what do I owe this surprise?"

"Good morning, Albus. I'm here because of something that happened the day before yesterday with Harry Potter and Hermione Granger."  _Damnation. I feel another inquiry coming on. 'How could you have allowed two students to disappear from under your nose?' I need to get my version of events out into the world as soon as I can. If I don't there will be no one to stand against Tom._

"Then I'm afraid that you have made a long, but ultimately unnecessary journey, Amelia. I have no intention of pressing charges for Mr. Potter's actions in his overwrought state. I was simply relieved to hear that his impulsiveness has not brought him any lasting harm."

"I'm afraid you have misunderstood the situation, Albus. I'm not here to arrest Mr. Potter; I'm here for you. Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, you are under arrest for child endangerment, criminal negligence, assault, kidnapping, conspiracy to commit kidnapping and sedition." Albus could only gape at the Minister as she rattled off a series of accusations that struck at his very core.  _No. I only did what was necessary. I am no criminal._  Albus was snapped back to reality at the feeling of cold manacles closing around his wrists.

"Wait! You can't do this! You are giving Voldemort exactly what he wants."  _I have to make them understand. They are dooming our world if they continue with this madness._

"Wrong, Dumbledore. You-Know-Who is dead. Harry Potter managed to end him for good this time." Amelia told him in a forbidding tone of voice. Albus opened his mouth to at least hint about the Horcruxes.  _She doesn't need to know everything but I cannot afford to be locked away just yet._  Amelia cut him off before he could utter a sound though. "He knew about those anchors that kept the old bastard alive, Dumbledore." Albus' world seemed to tilt at that news.  _How? No. Focus. There is one that he cannot possibly know about if he is unharmed._

"I'm afraid that there is one that he doesn't know about, that he cannot possibly know about." Albus said desperately.

"You mean the one in his scar I assume?"  _What? Impossible...there is no way...how...I..._  Albus thoughts seemed to be running into walls before they could get going. "It was destroyed when Mr. Potter took a Killing Curse for Ms. Granger."  _And he lived. Just like I theorised. It's real. How is it real?_ Albus was nearly catatonic as the aurors dragged him from his beloved Hogwarts.

:-:-:-:-:

"I call this court to order. The case before us today is Magic vs. Dumbledore." Albus barely acknowledged the opening of his trial. He had spent the past week and a half in a Ministry holding cell reviewing every decision he had ever made with regards to Harry James Potter. The only conclusion Albus had been able to reach was: something went horribly wrong somewhere. As Albus listened to the list of charges being read to the Wizengamot it occurred to him that he felt very detached from it all.

"Considering the severity of the case and the Ministerial Decree that all persons suspected of involvement with the terrorist organisation known as the Death Eaters be questioned under Veritaserum, I order that three drops of Veritaserum be administered to the defendant, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore." Albus felt his head be tilted back and his jaw wrenched open. Three drops of liquid landed on his tongue. There was very little change in the way Albus felt, except that he now felt like he might want to talk. What followed was a seemingly endless parade of questions. How much had he known about the threats that had plagued Hogwarts since Harry Potter had started attending? How much had he known about the terrorist Tom Marvolo Riddle? Why had he withheld this knowledge? Had he ever attacked a student in his care? Why had he assaulted Ms. Hermione Granger? Why had he cooperated with the terrorist Tom Marvolo Riddle? Why had he harboured a criminal? All of Albus secrets poured from his own mouth, but he couldn't find it in himself to care. At long last the questions ended. An antidote was administered and again Albus didn't notice a significant difference in how he felt.

"I will now ask the defendant if he has any further defence to offer the court?" It took Albus a moment to realise that the question had been directed at him and that he would actually have to answer of his own volition this time.  _If all I have done was unnecessary then can I still defend my actions?_

"No." Albus absently noticed that his voice sounded like the croak of an aging bullfrog.

"Since the defendant has declined to offer a defence I will ask the Wizengamot to vote on the defendant's guilt or innocence. Those who believe the defendant to be guilty of child endangerment?" Albus saw a lot of hands raised in the air but the sight was meaningless to him. As each charge was read out the multitude of hands rose again and again. Albus watched it all happen disinterestedly.

"The Wizengamot has found the defendant guilty on all charges and it falls to me to pass the sentence. I hereby sentence Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore to ten years in Azkaban and ask the Wizengamot to approve the sentence. All those in favour?" Again that multitude of hands rose into the air.  _There's something majestic about the way they move together like that._ The thought crashed through the otherwise empty expanse of Albus' mind only to disappear seconds later. "As the sentence has been upheld I order that Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore begin that sentence immediately." Albus felt rough hands lift him by the armpits and drag him from the courtroom. As the doors closed a voice wafted out "This court now stands adjourned."

Later that day Albus was thrown into a small room in a castle. Albus thought that he might have lived in a castle before, but he wasn't sure. There was something different about this castle. Wherever he looked there was a girl screaming incoherently until a light erupted from a stick in his hand and killed her. Shortly after she died, a girl started screaming incoherently until a light erupted from a stick in his hand and killed her. Albus curled up in a ball and wished the girl would stop screaming and that she would stop dying. Every time she did he felt like his chest was being ripped open. His whimpers and pleas for her to stay alive went unheeded in the vast halls of a castle where he would spend the rest of his days.

* * *

**Omake  
Author: **Midnight Angels  
 **Chapter:**  25, Harry's confrontation with Dumbledore

"Harry, surely you can see that those men could have been redeemed, shown the light, and gone on to live productive lives..." Dumbledore started to say something more but was cut off from an unexptected direction.

"What about Kylie, Morgan and Crysindia?" said one of the Ravenclaw third-years. "what about their 'productive lives'? Seems to me that you're perfectly willing to put the lives of all of us at risk to save those of outright murderers. How many of us have to die in the process? Five more of us? Ten more? ALL of us? How many, Headmaster?" Harry was cheering inside his head, proud of "his" students for getting the point.

"Thirty points from Ravenclaw!" Snape thundered, "And a week's detention!"

"For what?" one of the Hufflepuff third-years chimed in. "For caring about our own lives and not wanting to be sacrificed for the Headmaster's agenda? For caring about our friends more than Death Eater scum? Why are you mad at Professor Potter for doing more for us than the staff have ever done!" The younger students began to be very vocal in agreement!

Dumbledore apparently had had enough, "SILENCE! Killing is ALWAYS wrong! It is the mark of Dark Wizards, and I will NOT have it said that I am running a school that breeds Dark wizards..."

Harry snorted. "Aren't you about 15 years too late for that? You've let Slytherin pump them out from the first day Snape was named Head of House!"

The temperature in the room seemed to drop and the air darken as the Headmaster's control over his magic slipped slightly. "I will hear no more of this," he said quietly, but with a power that made sure everyone in the room could understand him clearly. He seemed to make an effort to pull himself back and the atmosphere lightened again.

Poppy Pomfrey cut in before anyone could start the argument up again. "These patients need their rest, Headmaster. It's time for you to go."

Dumbledore leveled a dark look at her, but the Matron stood her ground. Finally he said. That will be 10 points from each of you for insolence. I urge you to seriously consider the path Mr Potter is leading you down. Severus..." Dumbledore turned and left with the Potions master in tow, ignoring the glares coming from nearly every filled bed in the room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The omake is not my work. It was sent to me by Midnight Angels after I posted chapter 25 and I included it because I think that it scratches an itch a lot of my readers have; especially after the trial I showed you.


	5. Platform Punishment

Helen Granger looked around in wonder. She might have hated the idea of sending her children off to that school for even one night, but she had to admit that it was fascinating to see the platform that her daughter departed from every time she went to school. It never occurred to Helen to not think of Harry as her child. After all he had done for her family he was a part of that family. She didn't know if the kids' relationship would last, but they would cross that bridge if they came to it. After all, she didn't expect any possible break up to be vicious. She pushed it from her mind.

Sirius had been kind enough to invite them along to pick Harry and Hermione up from Platform 9 3/4. He had apparated them straight there. No standing in London traffic for who knew how long, no worrying about when they had to leave; it was marvelous, even if Helen did feel like she had been squeezed through the garden hose to get there.

All around her, magical parents stood waiting for their children in a riotous sea of clashing colours.  _I will say one thing for magical fashion: it isn't boring._  The witches and wizards around her were standing in small groups busily talking.  _Gossiping._  It wasn't difficult to guess the topic either. Several of the closer groups occasionally cast a glance their way, but nobody came up to them.  _Harry. They're all talking about Harry and...and what he did to save Hermione._  Helen could feel herself start to shake as she remembered that nightmarish battle she had witnessed in her daughter's memories. She couldn't believe the sheer malice emanating from that Lord Volde-thingy. She immediately understood why that man had been so feared. Then she had been exposed to watching him fight. When Harry had taken that spell to the chest, Hermione's expression had told her everything she needed to know. She had seen him just before they dropped into the memory and even so she had been unable to stop herself from praying that he would survive. Harry's resurrection had been met with a massive cheer from the aurors, Sirius, Remus and her husband. She wasn't sure what that teacher's bloodcurdling scream had been. That night in bed, curled up against her husband, Helen had been shocked to discover that, not only did she not blame Harry for killing those men, she wished he had found a worse way to do it. It was an ugly thought. A fifteen year-old should never have to kill and that he had done so to protect Hermione was already more than she had any right to ask. Another shiver ran down her spine.

Helen looked up as Richard's arm came around her. He gave her an understanding smile and squeezed her gently before returning his attention to Sirius' explanation of how the platform managed to stay hidden while allowing certain people through. Richard had been incredibly understanding when she had confessed her bloodlust to him. He had simply held her tighter and admitted that he wouldn't have minded giving the bastard a few kicks as he was lying there bleeding to death. Helen took a moment to admire her husband's gift for understatement. His eyes at the time had been blazing with something that she recognised as an unresolved fury to match her own.

That night Helen had done something she hadn't done since Hermione was five and had snuck down the hallway to check on her sleeping daughter. Helen had woken from a nightmare where she had relived that whole grisly scene and hadn't been able to get to sleep again without checking on the kids. She had opened the door a crack and peeked into Harry's room. Sure enough, both of them were lying in that bed and from what Helen could see they were both naked under the covers. Hermione had her head resting on Harry's bandaged chest. Neither teen woke up as she stepped into the room, courtesy of the sleeping potions they had both taken. Helen had gently pushed Hermione's hair away from her face and had been unable stop the thought that her daughter had the face of a woman now. She resolved to speak to Hermione about safe sex once more in the morning. Bending down she pressed a kiss to Hermione's temple and, after a moment of hesitation she also pressed a kiss to Harry's forehead.

Over the next two weeks Helen had slowly managed to convince herself that the kids were alright. In fact they seemed to be taking it better than she was. One morning she had asked Hermione why that was.

"Well, it's over now. Yes, Harry came closer to dying than he ever has. Both of us still have nightmares from what we have seen, but we're together and we're alive and Riddle is finally gone for good." In the discussion that followed Helen had gotten a much better idea of the threats Harry and Hermione had faced over the years. The newspapers last year had given her some idea, but she had thought that it was a one off thing and quite sensationalised due to the tournament. She had spent a good hour chewing Hermione out over why "a boy named Harry came and helped me when I was crying in the loo" was  _not_  an adequate description of being attacked by a twelve-foot mountain of magic resistant muscle. All in all Helen had been screaming her objections to Harry or Hermione ever going anywhere near Hogwarts again.  _Poor Harry. I know he isn't very physical with his affection and that ambush hug that day clearly scared the daylights out of him since he didn't see it coming._

A blinking light drew Helen's attention away from her thoughts of the past two weeks. She looked for the source but could only see the train tracks stretching endlessly towards the blinking light.

"They're coming!" Helen gasped as she realised that she was seeing the sun's reflection on a shiny locomotive. Richard and Sirius' discussion stopped so quickly that Helen was convinced the two men had been talking to kill time rather than from any real interest in the subject matter. Helen watched in awe as the bright red steam engine drew into the station unbeknownst to the world outside of the platform.  _It looks like something out of one of those period dramas the BBC puts out around Christmas._

With a screech of brakes straining against momentum the train came to a stop next to the platform. All along the carriages doors slammed open and small bodies rushed out, flinging themselves into waiting arms. The older students were a bit more reserved and many went to get their luggage before making their way into the mass of people to look for their parents. Helen was standing on her tip-toes in an effort to look over the mass of people for her own children.

"Over there!" Richard was waving in the direction of the train but Helen couldn't see the kids yet. A minute later they emerged from the press of bodies which parted for them like the Red Sea. Helen didn't waste any time grabbing Hermione in a hug.

"Are you alright? Did anything happen? No one tried to hurt you did they?" Helen rattled off her questions as she checked her daughter over for any signs that anything might be wrong.

"Yes, we're fine. We had a massive party. No, they didn't." Hermione replied with suppressed laughter in her voice. "Really, Mum, we're both fine." At that point Richard stepped in and claimed that it was his turn to hug Hermione and worry needlessly. Helen ignored the teasing and looked around finding Harry and Sirius looking on. She stepped over to them and pulled Harry into a hug as well.

"And you, Harry? Everything alright?" she asked the teenager who still acted surprised that anyone would want to hug him. Helen didn't like what that implied about his childhood, but she would be damned if she didn't do her best to show him that he was cared for now.

"Um, yes, ma'am. Everything went fine." Helen released Harry more quickly than she had Hermione. She didn't want to cause him discomfort after all. He could take some time to get used to being hugged any time she saw him. She was studying Harry fondly when she saw him straighten up and scowl. In an instant the bashful teenager was replaced with the war hero. Helen looked around for whatever was causing Harry to react like that. She noticed that Hermione had stiffened and that her face was colder than Helen had ever seen it. The only thing that seemed out of place though was a small, dumpy woman with red hair and a redder face.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU, YOU...YOU...DID YOU ENJOY WATCHING MY LITTLE GIRL DIE?! WAS SHE NOT WORTH SAVING?! RONNIE TOLD ME HOW YOU ABANDONED HER WHEN HOGSMEADE WAS ATTACKED!" Helen had to blink to kickstart her brain again after all that vitriol. Harry and Hermione were a lot quicker though.

"The only thing Ginny had to do was run away like everyone else; even then people died." Harry responded in a scarily level tone of voice. "The other students all acted exactly the way you would hope they would in a crisis and took the action that gave them the best chances for survival."

"And I was the one who tried to get the students evacuating. I think we both know that Ginny wouldn't have listened to me after we stopped your little plot to rape us with love potions." Hermione's tone was similar to Harry's when she... _Wait, this bitch is the one who tried to drug my children?!_  A red mist descended over Helen's vision and her blood pounded in her ears. She could see the woman's mouth moving but couldn't make out the words. All the fear, frustration and rage she had been feeling for the past two weeks coalesced and Helen took two steps forward and felt her arm swing out and make contact with the woman's well padded chin. She watched the woman's jaw snap shut and her head snap back before she toppled over. All of a sudden the world came rushing back in.

"You foul, miserable excuse for a scum-sucking, bottom-feeder! How  _dare_ you?! How dare you try and help your brats rape my children?! What kind of mother would do that to a child? You have to be the single most unsuitable parent I have ever met!" Helen's chest was heaving with the exertion of screaming at this woman and a part of her dearly wished the bitch would get back up and try something; Helen certainly wouldn't mind punching her again. She settled for snarling out one last threat. "If you ever come near my children again I will rip your throat out, magic or no magic." Helen whipped around and stalked off, pausing only long enough to grab Harry and Hermione and drag them along.

"Well, at least now I know where you got it from, Hermione." Helen's head snapped to the side to give Harry a searching look but could only read amused affection on his face.

"You're a bad influence, Harry Potter. I never used to hit other parents." Helen grumbled at him making him grin. Harry's arm coming around her shoulders and giving her an affectionate squeeze made everything worth it. As long as she had her children, safe and sound, Helen Granger would be happy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This scene was requested by reviewer Stormbow, so full credit there for the initial idea.


	6. The Muggleborn's First Day of Magic

Minerva McGonagall landed gracefully on her feet as the portkey deposited her and her charges in the alley she usually used when showing a new student the magical world for the first time. She did feel her knees creak and wondered how long she would be able to keep it up. The Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry looked down at the two muggles and their wizard son sprawled on the ground next to her.

"Are you all alright? I'm afraid it takes some practice to become proficient at portkey travel." Minerva asked them gently. The family got themselves up and dusted off before nodding at her. "Very well, we are in a small alley just off Charing Cross Road. In a moment we will head out to the Leaky Cauldron. It is the gateway from the non-magical world into the magical one." Before Minerva could continue two soft pops sounded next to her and a pair of teenagers appeared. They looked surprised to see her there.

"Headmistress? What are you doing here?"

"I am showing one of Hogwarts' newest students Diagon Alley. You should remember the process, Ms. Granger, Mr. Potter." Minerva told her students in a stern tone of voice. Both youngsters' eyes moved over to the muggle family. With a start Minerva realised that the parents were acting quite oddly. The father was standing in front of his wife and child as if shielding them from some danger. The mother had her arms wrapped around her son and seemed to be doing her best not to cry.

"P-please, we don't have much money. Please let us go." the father said. Minerva looked around in confusion but could only see the six of them in the alley.

"I swear we won't go to the police over this." the father continued. He drew out his billfold and threw it down at Mr. Potter's feet. "Please, Potter, at least let my family get out of here. You've made your point. Your gang is very impressive." This was making less sense by the minute. Minerva looked at Mr. Potter and saw that Ms. Granger was doing the same. Potter himself didn't look like he knew what was going on here either.

"I'm sorry, sir, but I have no idea what you are talking about." he said softly as his eyes studied the people in front of him, no doubt trying to work out how he knew them. The man's eyes seemed to harden for a moment.

"Look, your uncle told us you had escaped St. Brutus's and were in a gang now. You can drop the charade." he said as his wife shifted her position in a way that suggested she was trying to cover more of her son.

"Ah. I see you've finally returned to Little Whinging, Professor." Mr. Potter said with a pained expression on his face. Minerva blinked in surprise. She hadn't realised that these people knew the Dursleys.

"Yes, Mr. Potter. Allow me to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Evans and their son Mark. He will be starting at Hogwarts this year. Mr. Evans, Mrs. Evans, Mark, These are Harry Potter and Hermione Granger. They are our Head Boy and Girl this year." Neither the Evans family nor the two Head students made any move to acknowledge her introduction. Thinking that her student's familiarity with and, hopefully, respect for her would get her a quicker answer Minerva turned to Mr. Potter. "What was all that about escaping St...Brutus's, was it?" Potter gave her a humourless smile.

"Perhaps you remember my relatives' attitude towards anything out of the ordinary, Professor? Magic was considered 'freakishness' and anyone magical was a freak. Since they had spent my entire childhood telling the neighbourhood that I was nasty, delinquent little child, they could hardly tell everyone that I was off attending a boarding school in Scotland. I found out after my second year that they had started telling everyone that I went to some juvenile detention centre called, if memory serves, St. Brutus's Centre for Incurably Criminal Boys." While Minerva was trying to wrap her head around Mr. Potter's tale he turned back to the family. "I think you have probably seen enough demonstrations of magic by now to know that it is real. Vernon and Petunia know this too. They have done since before I was born. I would suggest keeping your son's abilities from them unless you want him to be tarred with the same brush as I was."

"I  _told_  you it was Dudley that kept beating us up, not Potter!" a small voice sounded from behind the two wary parents. "Maybe you'll believe me now." A figure to match the voice wriggled out of its mother's grasp and darted around its father before he could react. The small boy came to stop in front of Mr. Potter and looked up at him.

"Are you really a wizard?" he demanded. Potter just nodded wordlessly. "Why didn't you ever do something to stop Dudley, then?"

"Students are prohibited by law from performing magic outside of school until they become legal adults at age seventeen. I've only been allowed to use magic outside of school for a week now." Mr. Potter explained with a small smile. The young boy's face fell.

"Does that mean that I won't be able to stop the bullies with magic?" he asked sounding disappointed.

"You are allowed to use magic to save your life, but basically: no, you won't." Potter explained patiently while the rest of the group watched the two boys converse in stunned silence.

"Mark, get back here. He could still be dangerous." Mr. Evans hissed at his son. Minerva had heard enough. She would teach this muggle what it meant to insult one of her students.

"Mr. Evans!" she barked in a tone that had frozen troublemakers mid-mischief for forty years. "Mr. Potter is one of the most honourable men I have ever known. He is a hero in our world and holds our country's highest award for bravery. He and Ms. Granger are two of the most outstanding students I have ever taught and were easily the best Prefects I have ever seen. If there is anyone in this world you could safely entrust with your son it would be him." Minerva's seething rant had both Evans parents looking at the children in front of them strangely. Potter was looking uncomfortable at her praise but it was Ms. Granger that worried her. The girl had a look on her face that told Minerva she was planning something; something not entirely on the up and up.

"Professor, why don't Harry and I show the Evans family around Diagon Alley? As you pointed out we both have the experience of being introduced to the wizarding world and it would allow you to get back to your job at Hogwarts. Showing the new muggle-borns around must be quite the drain on your time, after all."

Minerva was caught in a dilemma. To be honest Ms. Granger was right: Minerva's schedule as Headmistress didn't really allow her to go gallivanting off for a day, but none of the other teachers were really suited to the task. Hagrid and Filius were too conspicuous in the muggle world, Pomona was still trying to learn how to blend in and Horace couldn't be bothered. Ambrose could take her place, but he was an intimidating character on the best of days. Potter and Granger taking over would normally be a dream come true but she was worried about Ms. Granger's motives.

"It would also give Mr. and Mrs. Evans a chance to reassure themselves that they wouldn't be sending their son off to a school for 'incurably criminal boys'." Ms. Granger could apparently read her headmistress with ease. Minerva had to admit that the plan made sense. Ms. Granger had even provided a plausible reason for her actions; and that was perhaps the biggest red flag that she was up to something. Still, if Minerva thought back over the past few years she doubted that the Evans family would come to any harm with these two. Mab's Wings, some of last year's first and second years still occasionally referred to them as 'Mum' and 'Dad'!

"I cannot deny that your offer would be a boon, Ms. Granger. Mr. and Mrs. Evans, what are your thoughts on the matter?" Minerva might have decided to allow this, but it really needed the family's approval.

"Pleeeeeaaaaasssee! Mum, Dad, this is going to be so cool. We're going to be able to talk to someone who lived in Little Whinging and actually went to Hogwarts. Pleeeeeaaaassseee can we go with Harry and Herminny?" The younger Mr. Evans wasn't above begging it would seem. Ms. Granger meanwhile was muttering under her breath while receiving comfort from a highly amused Mr. Potter.

"Alright, Mark. We can go with Pot-...Harry." Mrs. Evans eventually relented.

"Yaayyyyyyyy!" The more she thought about it the more grateful Minerva was she wouldn't be chasing this little hellion up and down the alley.

"Very well then. Mr. Potter, Ms. Granger, I leave this in your hands. I trust that you will perform to your usual standards. Please let me know how the day goes." When both teens had nodded Minerva apparated back to Hogwarts. She allowed herself to briefly wonder what the day would be like for the group she had just left behind.

:-:-:-:-:

Jill Evans was feeling extremely uncomfortable. Learning that magic existed was enough to make the mind boggle; it would be even if it  _wasn't_  due to your son apparently being magical as well. To learn on top of that, that the neighbourhood delinquent was actually a national hero was pushing things to their limit. She was currently keeping a very close eye on her son who was excitedly talking to the young man she had thought of as a criminal for years. She didn't feel any better when they suddenly stopped walking and turned to look at her.

"Alright we're just about there." Potter said, "Do you see it?"

"Yes!" Mark answered at the same time as she and David said "No". The Evans family members looked at each other in surprise. Potter and the girl just chuckled.

"Alright, Mark. Time for your first conscious piece of magic." Potter said with a smile. Jill could see Mark's face light up. "There are Muggle Repelling Wards on the Cauldron. Muggles can only see through those wards with the help of a magical person. Just grab your parents' hands and tell them where you see it." Mark rushed over.

"It's right over there, Mum, Dad. Between the bookstore and the record store." Jill looked between the two stores her son had mentioned. Someone could have knocked her over with a feather when she noticed a grubby little pub between the two massive stores. "Do you see it?" she heard her son ask anxiously.

"Y-yes, Mark. I see it." Jill managed to get out.

"Well done, Mark." she heard Potter say softly. Jill tore her eyes away from the pub and looked at her son. He had an expression of pride and wonder on his face. Somehow Jill doubted that their original guide to the magical world would have done the same. She decided to try and observe Potter with as open a mind as she could manage.

He and that girl led the way into the pub. Jill thought the inside looked a lot like the outside. It was dingy and dirty and somehow managed to look comfortable and welcoming at the same time. She could see a toothless, old landlord behind the bar. When he looked up and spotted their group she saw his countenance break into a massive grin.

"Mr. Potter! Good to see you back here. Can I get you a Butterbeer?" Jill felt herself tense up as the entire pub seemed to stop and look at them.

"Not right now, Tom. Hermione and I have to get our school shopping done and so does Mark. He's going to be starting Hogwarts this year and we're showing him and his parents the Alley." Tom came out from behind the bar and shook Potter's hand before kissing the girl's. Finally he turned to Mark and shook his hand too.

"Getting shown about the Alley by Harry Potter himself. You'll be telling your grandchildren about this, my lad, mark my words." As if the barman's actions had been a signal of some sort everyone in the pub got up and came over to shake their hands. Jill could hear the reverence and awe with which they addressed Potter. It seemed to be mostly thanks for something she couldn't quite understand. Most of the patrons also shook Mark's hand and some shook her and David's. All of them told the Evans family how lucky they were to have  _the_  Harry Potter as their guide.

Eventually Potter called out that they really had to be on their way and forced his way through the crowd with one arm protectively around Mark. Jill and David followed the boys and that girl through a door in the back of the pub. They ended up in a small closed off courtyard. Dread welled up in Jill as she was suddenly sure that they were caught in an elaborate trap and this was where they would meet their deaths. Potter flicked his hand and a wand appeared in it. Jill was about to grab Mark in an effort to protect him when Potter started tapping bricks on the wall in front of them. The action was so random that she froze for a moment. Her shock turned to amazement as the bricks in the wall started to rearrange themselves. When they were done the group was facing an archway leading to street that quite simply made no sense.

"Welcome to Diagon Alley." Potter proclaimed grandly with a twinkle in his eye. As she moved into the street Jill forgot all about possible plots to assassinate her family. Everywhere she looked was a new sight, a new experience, a new impossibility. The two teens led them gently onward. At one point Mark dashed off to who knew where, but before he had taken two steps Potter had caught him by the collar. "No running off unsupervised." he warned her son sternly.

"But, but, but there are brooms!  _Flying_  brooms!" Mark exclaimed while pointing. Potter grinned down at him.

"I know, but you're not going to be allowed to take one to Hogwarts until you finish your flying classes at the end of first year. If you want to take a look, we can do that after you have everything you need." Mark's pout seemed to have no effect on the older boy. "You know, once you learn to properly fly a broom you could try out for your House Quidditch team."

"What's Quidditch?" Mark asked immediately. Next to her Jill could hear the girl groan.

"Really, Harry, must you? He's not even gotten his wand yet." Potter just winked at her with that sparkle still dancing in his eyes.

"Quidditch is the most popular sport in the wizarding world, Mark. Think of it like football, except completely different." From there Potter launched into a description of the sport and its rules. Jill soon found herself walking next to the girl who had suggested all of this as even David allowed his love of all things athletic to get the better of him.

"I'm sorry. It really does seem to be all wizards talk about sometimes." the girl said to her in an undertone.

"I'm familiar with David's obsession with football. I suppose this is something similar, err..." Jill had to trail off as she was finally forced to reveal that in the midst of her panicking she hadn't remembered one of her guides' names.

"Hermione Granger." Hermione supplied.

"Jill Evans. It' s a pleasure to meet you." Jill replied offering her hand. Hermione took it and pumped it once. It occurred to Jill that Hermione had been keeping as much of an eye on her and her family as Jill herself had been keeping on Potter. She wondered whether it was due to what had happened in the alley off Charing Cross. "Ummm, Ms. Granger? You seem to be rather upset with us even though you were the one to suggest this arrangement. Do you have something against my family?" Jill had intended for it to sound like a warning and a reprimand, but found two hard brown eyes studying her for a long moment. She was actually starting to fidget when Hermione finally started talking.

"Harry rarely speaks of the time he spent living in Little Whinging. What little he does let slip is invariably appalling. I haven't been able to determine whether the Dursleys actually beat him, but I have heard more than enough to know that they at least mentally abused him. Some of their actions might also be classified as physical abuse. I have also heard enough to know that they were able to do so because of a community that allowed them to get away with it and joined in on the abuse on several occasions. I will not hold your son accountable for your actions, but you are undeniably one of the people who allowed my boyfriend to be abused and possibly one of his abusers." Jill felt physically sick at the cold tone the young woman next to her was using. It was clear that Hermione felt very strongly on this matter.

"Why did you offer to show us around then?" Jill demanded in an effort to stop the guilt and doubt that were gnawing at her.

"All the reasons I gave Professor McGonagall were perfectly valid." Hermione responded in a mild tone of voice. "Also, Harry is an uncommonly kind man. He refuses to even consider going to Little Whinging and cursing those vile beasts into smithereens. He has asked me not to do so either. According to Harry it would somehow validate what they did to him for all those years. He also made the point that to attack them with magic means they would be unable to defend themselves and so lower us to their level." Hermione took a deep breath and continued in voice lightly tinted with frustration. "It doesn't sit well with me that they are getting away with what they have done, but I had no way to take revenge until we met you." All of Jill's fears suddenly seemed to crystallise. This had been a trap after all.

"What are you going to do to us?" she asked, her voice shaking with fear.

"Nothing. I will simply let Harry be himself." Hermione answered. "You and your husband moved to protect your son first when you perceived a threat. That tells me that you care at least to some extent about the well-being of a child. Once you have seen just how kind my Harry is, how much he is admired by those who know him or know of him, you will be returned to Little Whinging. There you will have to listen to the Dursleys slandering a man you will  _know_  to be a good man. What will you do, I wonder?"

Jill felt a shiver run down her spine. Even if Potter did not live up to his girlfriend's image of him, Jill would still have trouble showing no reaction to the Dursleys' stories after the little she had witnessed today. She did know that at least some of Petunia's stories had to be lies after learning about Hogwarts and its Head Boy. If the discrepancy grew too large Jill knew it would start eating her from the inside out to hear the vicious stories without saying anything in his defence; revenge indeed. She would be stuck between speaking out against the image Little Whinging had of Harry Potter or destroying herself with guilt.

The Dursleys' valued their image above all else. It was common knowledge in the neighbourhood even if everyone seemed to be trying to measure up to them anyway. If Jill started talking about how they had been lying about and possibly abusing their nephew that image would be destroyed in a way that would hurt them more than mere physical pain ever could. Jill resolved to do everything she could to get on Hermione Granger's good side. The young woman had read her very accurately in a very short period of time and come up with a devastating course of action and Jill did not want that talent turned against her any more than it already was. Ahead of them the male half of the group had stopped and was clearly waiting for them.

"This is Gringotts Bank. It's not part of the  _wizarding_  world so much as it is a part of the magical world. It's run by goblins and is technically their sovereign territory. It is one of the most secure locations in Britain as they take security  _very_  seriously. It is common knowledge that you would have to be mad to try and steal from them." Potter explained as he indicated the crooked marble building in front of them. "It's also the only place where you'll be able to exchange your pounds for wizarding currency."

Potter led their group into the bank and they joined a queue while the Evans family tried not to stare at the short, gnarled beings they assumed were goblins. When they reached the front of the line David exchanged some pounds for the strange gold, silver and bronze coins. Potter laid a small key on the teller's desk and asked to be taken to his vault. They were led off to the side and to a door by a goblin Jill was fairly sure had been addressed as Ragsnarl. At the door they paused and Ragsnarl gave everyone bar Potter a significant look.

"Would you like to come down and see how Mark will be storing his money when he gets a job?" Potter asked them to Ragsnarl's obvious consternation. Both parents accepted and even Mark looked eager to see something which Jill was sure would bore him to tears if she introduced him to the ordinary variety. Hermione chose to remain in the lobby.

The four humans were soon loaded into something that reminded Jill of the ore carts she had seen in that dreadful Indiana Jones film David had dragged her to. The ride was far worse than she had imagined the one in the film being. It seemed to take an eternity until they drew to a halt. When Jill had finally gained enough control over her roiling stomach to look around her gaze was drawn to an open door that seemed to lead to a room sized cavern; a cavern filled with a mountain of gold.

Potter was casually scooping handfuls of gold into a bag that could never hold even the amount she had watched him put in. He straightened up and nodded to Ragsnarl before exiting his vault and sitting back down in the cart. When they shot off again Jill was once again fighting her intestines which seemed determined to tie themselves in knots. Back up in the lobby David had to half carry her out of the bank.

The feeling of solid ground under her feet allowed Jill to force her head to stop spinning with the nausea she was feeling. Once she accomplished that minor miracle the sight of that mountain of gold flashed through her mind as well as the exchange rate they had gotten; it added up to a very financially healthy young man. One who was honestly too well off to still be mugging people.

From the bank they headed into a luggage store to get Mark a trunk that would hold all his supplies. The sales attendant seemed entirely overawed that they were accompanied by Harry Potter. After that pub, Jill was starting to adjust to the idea that Pot-...Harry was far more than Petunia would ever be willing to admit to. From the reactions she had seen from the young man he was not eager to be treated this way. He endured the admiration with a kind of resigned acceptance that she would not have expected from a seventeen year-old.

From the luggage store they moved on to get the children robes and potions ingredients. After that they went to the bookstore with P-...Harry teasing Hermione the whole way that they couldn't stay more than three hours; apparently the girl loved to read.

Inside the bookstore it became obvious to Jill that P-...Harry hadn't been exaggerating too much. Hermione immediately dove for the stacks of books while a chuckling...Harry helped Mark find his books. David took the chance to ask their guide about the education system in the magical world.

"For the first two years, Mark will only be taking the core subjects: Charms, Transfiguration, Defence Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Herbology, Astronomy and History of Magic. At the end of his second year, Mark will be asked to choose at least two and at most three of our five elective courses. Trust me when I say that taking more is impossible; not even Hermione could do it. In his fifth year Mark will take his Ordinary Wizarding Levels, which are somewhat equivalent to the O-levels you'll be used to. After that he will be taking courses dependent on his marks in those exams for his last two years until he takes the Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests, which are somewhat like A-levels."

"I see. You are taking those this year correct?"

"I am."

"May I ask which ones?"

"Charms, Transfiguration, Potions, Herbology, Care of Magical Creatures, Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. It is strongly recommended that you take at least four N.E.W.T. level courses and at most six." David was nodding along to Harry's explanation with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Why did you choose those particular subjects?"

"We had a careers counseling session with our Head of House in fifth year. I think I'd like to be a curse breaker for Gringotts after I graduate and those were among the subjects I'd need to even apply to the program."

"Which courses is Hermione taking?" David only stumbled slightly over Hermione's name.

"More or less the same ones I am, except with Defence Against the Dark Arts instead of Care."

"Why didn't you take that course?" Jill interrupted.

"I received an exemption for it." Harry answered looking a little uncomfortable.  _He's hiding something with that answer._  "I should go and find Hermione now that you mention her. She'd be happy to live here I think, but her parents are expecting us to get home at some point today." Jill watched the young man walk off to another part of the store as she ignored her son's look of mortification at his parents' behaviour.

Hermione ended up having to be dragged away from the store to loud protests. Finally they arrived at a store that had Mark just about vibrating in excitement: the wand store. They stepped into the seemingly empty, dusty shop and looked around. Neither Harry nor Hermione seemed particularly bothered by the idea that there was no one there.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Potter and Ms. Granger. May I just say how unusual it is to see even the Head Boy and Girl escorting a muggle-born and their family around?" Jill and her family had jumped and scrambled away from the voice that had suddenly sounded behind them. A part of her also noticed that the two teens hadn't so much as twitched.

"Afternoon, Mr. Olivander. You are certainly welcome to say that, even if I fail to see why it should matter." Harry responded lightly. "We were hoping that you'd have a wand here that will choose Mark."

"Hah! I found a match for you, didn't I? We'll have the young man properly equipped soon, never doubt it." the old man barked out with good humour. What followed was a bizarre measuring ritual and a series of eight wands before Mark found the one that apparently 'chose him'. "Dogwood and a dragon heartstring from a Hungarian Horntail. One I would say your guide was intimately familiar with. I do believe I could risk a guess as to your sorting, young man, but I will not. It does no good to prejudice the mind." Jill thought this was thoroughly ominous way to talk to an eleven year-old and couldn't wait to get out of there.

"I think that is everything on your list, Mark. Did you still want to go to that store you've been shooting looks at ever since we got here?" Harry asked with an amused smirk pulling at his lips. Mark shot a pleading look at his parents who blinked in surprise. How had that young man caught on to Mark's desire like that? Jill certainly hadn't noticed her son throwing longing looks at  _one_  store so much as every store in the Alley. As they made their way over she did get a nagging feeling that she knew which one it was.

They were still a ways removed from the most eye-watering store she had ever seen and she just felt in her bones that it was where they were heading. Sure enough ten yards before the entrance to that affront to good taste and decency Mark lost his self-control and ran at the door. Harry and David shot off after him allowing Jill and Hermione to walk at an easier pace.

"What kind of store is this?" Jill asked with a small amount of dread in her voice.

"A joke shop." Hermione replied in a heavy tone. "It's owned by friends of ours who graduated a year ago. Harry gave them their start up loan and they seem determined to make good on the faith he's shown in them; or, well, they seem determined to fill the world with mayhem."  _He gave them a loan? Well, he does have the money for it I suppose._

The inside of the store was as eye-watering as the outside and had the dubious joy of a deafening cacophony of whistles, whizzes, bangs and excited children's voices added to the effect. Jill looked around for Mark and David in the maelstrom of chaos surrounding them. When she found them both her boys had pink and purple hair and were hiccuping with laughter while tears ran down their faces. Harry and a pair of red-headed twins were laughing right along with them.

"Mum, isn't this great?! Fred and George said they even have a candy that turns you into a giant canary for seven seconds and-and...!" Jill listened to Mark listing off the various prank products he wanted to buy with mounting apprehension. She wouldn't feel half so bad if she thought David was going to be any help at all in corralling their son, but he was perusing the shelves with interest showing clear on his face.

"Mark, you can't use this stuff around the house, you know that." Jill admonished him.

"Aww, but Mum..."

"No, young man." Her voice indicated that she would not budge on this.

"What about at Hogwarts?" he asked.

"Not a chance, young man." came Hermione's voice in a tone that was similar enough that Mark's eyes went wide with horror. "At Hogwarts there is a list of prohibited items and it has a blanket ban on anything and everything from this store." Mark seemed to wilt while Jill felt a bit better about sending her son off to Hogwarts after seeing their first line of discipline in action. Harry had been following the conversation with a look of someone trying not to laugh. He leant down to Mark and whispered a few sentences into the younger boy's ear. Mark perked up noticeably and when he turned back to Jill and Hermione his eyes were sparkling once again. It took them the better part of an hour to convince Mark and David to leave after that.

Mark had tried to get his parents to buy him a Pygmy Puff. The Evans parents decided that they didn't want to buy Mark a pet just yet. After hearing the story of how the two teens got their pets they agreed that if Mark knew what he wanted when he went into his third year they would seriously consider it. Reaching an agreement with their offspring signalled an end to the day of shopping. David insisted on his usual end of shopping drink in the Leaky Cauldron and they got a round of Butterbeers for everyone.

"I say, do either of you have one of those portkey things to get us home?" David asked them. Harry and Hermione both admitted that they did not, but Harry told them with a smile that it would not be problem even if making a portkey was apparently strictly prohibited under the law except with explicit approval of the ministry. Jill reflected that it marked quite the change from this morning that she was perfectly content to accept Harry Potter's word that he would get them home safely.

It didn't take long for Mark and David to draw Harry into a more detailed explanation of Quidditch and the British Quidditch League; Harry certainly seemed knowledgeable about the sport. For once, Jill didn't mind the sports talk though.

"Miss Granger? Umm, Hermione?"

"Yes, Mrs. Evans?"

"What did that creepy old man mean when he said that you would be intimately familiar with the dragon in Mark's wand? You don't keep dragons at that school do you?" Jill found those measuring brown eyes on her again.

"Not usually, no and it's just the heartstring."

"Not  _usually_?"

"The groundskeeper hatched one illegally once, but it was removed while it was still young. The Horntail Mr. Olivander was referring to was a part of a tournament that was hosted at Hogwarts in our fourth year." Jill couldn't see any hint of joking in Hermione's eyes.

"What kind of tournament was this?" she asked with rising apprehension.

"The kind that got canceled due to the death toll. It was reinstated with updated rules though its continuation is currently under review. Harry was entered into the tournament by terrorists trying to kill him. The first task was to get a golden egg from a nesting mother dragon. Harry drew the Horntail. After Harry had gotten the egg, the Horntail got loose. Harry killed it before it could attack the students."

"That's impossible!" Jill exclaimed, not entirely sure which revelation she was referring to. "What kind of place would allow that? Why should I send my son there?"

"The man who made that possible was our former Headmaster. He is currently serving a jail sentence that he isn't expected to see the end of for child neglect among other things. Since he was removed the school really is a lot more like a normal school except for the curriculum." Jill sucked in a deep breath to calm herself down.

"Is killing a dragon why Harry has an exemption from that Defence class?"

"Among other things, like stopping the most powerful Dark Lord in British history single-handed. Harry was awarded a Mastery in Defence and could teach the course. He actually did in our fifth year and was quite good at it."

"A mastery?" Jill's head was starting to spin with everything she had learnt today.

"Think of it as the equivalent to a university degree."

"Hey, are you girls ready to go?" David interrupted. Jill looked over to find all three boys looking at them with clearly empty bottles. She put her own bottle to her lips and slugged down the unfamiliar drink in an effort to forget that a boy who was only a few years older than her son had faced a  _dragon_  and that was apparently considered to be one of his  _less_  impressive feats.

When the group had all finished their Butterbeers the trouped out of the front door. Outside Harry flicked his wand into his hand once again and raised it. Jill barely had enough time to wonder what he was doing before a purple triple-decker appeared out of nowhere with a loud bang. "Allow me to present to you: the Knight Bus." Harry said with a sweeping arm gesture just before a pimply young man leapt off the bus.

"Welcome to the-Oi! That's my job that is!" he started before Harry's words apparently filtered through to his mind. Harry just chuckled.

"Evening, Stan. Five tickets to Little Whinging, please." Stan clearly recognised the young man in front of him as his jaw dropped.

"Coo. 'Arry Potter, ridin' the Knight Bus again. I fourght you'd be apparatin' everywhere by now." the conductor said in awe. "I mean, that'll be free galleons and four sickles please, sir." Harry handed Stan the requested amount and ushered the Evans family onto the bus.

"Hold on tight. The ride is a little wild." Harry cautioned everyone as they sat down. Jill remembered that not even that miserable cart-ride had warranted a warning and clutched her seat hard enough to turn her knuckles white; she was grateful only a minute later as the bus rocketed off like a bucking steer.

It was a rather shaken group that stood on Magnolia Crescent fifteen minutes later as the Knight Bus disappeared with a loud bang. Harry and Hermione helped the Evans' get home and refused invitations to stay for tea saying they needed to get back to their own families in West Sussex. David had been about to ask if they were going to have to take that awful contraption again when with a 'goodbye' and a wink from Harry the two popped out of existence like they had appeared that morning.

What followed was a quick take-out dinner before the family went to bed. All three were exhausted from having their world turned thoroughly upside down. Jill spent some time lying awake as the day ran through her head over and over. The one thing that kept standing out was the look on Mark's face when he was saying goodbye to Harry Potter; it was clear that her son had found an idol.

:-:-:-:-:

Over the next few weeks an imperceptible change swept through Little Whinging. The word in the gossip circles was that the Evans boy had been accepted at a private boarding school in Scotland. Some even mentioned that the Potter boy was apparently going to be their Head Boy this year, though never within earshot of the Dursleys.

When the Dursleys' son was arrested, Petunia's lamentations that it was just her poor boy being in the wrong place at the wrong time were met with considerably fewer commiserations than she was used to. When the Dursleys' high priced lawyers got the boy off with some community service, tongues wagged that it was a travesty of justice. Children were warned to stay away from the Dursley boy and frequently responded that they already did that anyway.

After the start of the school year, word started filtering into the tight-knit community that Mark Evans was thoroughly enjoying his time at his exclusive boarding school, thanks in large part to Harry Potter taking him under his wing. Apparently the Potter boy was one of the most respected and capable students at the school. Stories also started surfacing that the reason the residents of Little Whinging hadn't been exposed to this side of the lad was that the Dursleys had mistreated him.

Around Halloween the entire neighbourhood knew that the Dursleys had abused their nephew who, despite his hardships in his relatives' house, had gone on to become an outstanding young man who had already been awarded a university degree in his best subject, was a successful investor and had even been knighted for saving his classmates' lives from the terrorists that had wreaked such havoc two years earlier.

The Dursleys didn't learn of the new sentiment towards them until Christmas. A week before the holiday they hadn't received a single invitation to a celebration in their neighbourhood. When Petunia asked Mrs. Number 8 if the strain of throwing a party was becoming too much for her she was told quite bluntly that the party was planned as usual but that Mrs. Number 8 had no intentions of ruining it by inviting 'their kind'. A few days later it became clear that the usual influx of cards and baked goods wouldn't be coming this year. In fact, everything the Dursleys had sent out was returned to them with the exception of the card they had sent to Marge.

At the various Christmas parties Mark became the most sought after guest and Harry Potter a central topic of conversation. Mark had no problems talking about his new hero to anyone who would listen and even managed to talk around the awkward questions of what he was actually learning.

By the summer the Dursleys were living in social isolation. They couldn't afford to move because all of their money, even a second mortgage on the house, had gone into Dudley's legal fees. Nobody would speak to them anymore and some even crossed the street when they saw the Dursleys coming towards them. Petunia was frantically trying to figure out a way to retake what she saw as her rightful station in life, but nothing was working.

The stories they heard of the freak being some kind of worthwhile person, knighted even, were dismissed as nonsense and claptrap. When Petunia had heard that the Evans boy attended  _that_  school she had sniffed and said that she hadn't expected him to be a freak too. It was a comment that cost her the last of the neighbours' tolerance, as Mark was a well-liked young man.

The rumours reached the police eventually and they investigated the Dursleys thoroughly. They were never able to find enough evidence of child abuse to take the case to court, but they did find several instances of tax dodging on Vernon's part and various offences such as drug dealing, petty larceny, vandalism and extortion on Dudley's part.

Over the next few years Dudley's repeated arrests plunged the Dursleys deeper into debt, to the point where they could no longer pay their lawyers resulting in Dudley receiving his first prison sentence.

The isolation they faced led to Petunia having a nervous breakdown and needing therapy to recover, piling on to the Dursleys' financial woes.

At Grunnings, Vernon was repeatedly passed over for promotions, to his great anger. The staff had begun to hear the stories coming out of Little Whinging and, combined with the man's atrocious attitude, this meant that Vernon lost any chance at any kind of promotion or pay raise. He grew to hate his job as he was shunted to the side again and again and only given dead-end clients anymore.

Eventually the Dursleys had to declare bankruptcy and move to a council estate where they were no more welcome than they had been in their old neighbourhood. Many residents on the council estate felt that it was karmic justice that a pair of high-society wannabes were laid low, even if they didn't know the rumours from Little Whinging. For the rest of their lives all three Dursleys cursed the source of their misfortune as they saw it: that thrice-damned freak of a Harry Potter.


	7. Ron's Woes

_BZZT!_

Ronald Weasley woke from a very pleasant dream featuring that veela Bill was dating as his wand magically shocked him awake.  _Damn Wake-Up Charm._  With a nearly inaudible grumble he got out of bed and shuffled into the bathroom.

As the spray of hot water from the nozzle of the shower washed over him Ron found himself contemplating his life. Two and a half years ago had marked a distinct change in his living conditions. His girlfriend at the time, Lavender, had gotten pregnant with their first child. They had had a hurried wedding about half-way through that pregnancy and his in-laws still weren't talking to them.

At the end of their fifth year he and Lav had a handful of O.W.L.s between them. It was decided that work experience would be worth more in the long run for the young family to be. Ron's dad had helped him get his first job as the night guard at the security desk in the ministry atrium. It still annoyed him that he had been fired from that job. So what if he had caught forty winks behind his desk? Nights were for  _sleeping_.

That summer their son had been born. Albertus Waterloo Weasley had been named by Lavender because she insisted that it had an air of dignity about it while still being cute because of the acronym his initials formed. It had taken his brothers all of four seconds to start calling the kid 'Bertie'.

A month later Ron had landed his second job: conductor on the Knight Bus. This time his shift had thankfully been during the daytime. It didn't pay a lot so Ron, Lav and Bertie had chosen to live at the Burrow. Ron managed to hang on to this job for several months before the owners of the service stock checked their supply of hot cocoa. Didn't those bastards understand that he had been a growing boy in need of nutrients?

Ron's third job had been at his brothers' joke shop. They had been making a killing, which proved that education was overrated anyway. After all they had only scored three O.W.L.s each. Ron had never thought to ask how they had done on their N.E.W.T.s. This time Ron had lasted nearly a year. He had been thrown out after a series of altercations with customers. His brothers had warned him several times that he needed to shape up or get out. Ron had never taken them seriously; they couldn't fire him or Mum would get mad.

The final straw for Fred and George had been when Harry Fucking Potter had strolled in bold as you please with that know-it-all bint on his arm. Ron had tried to throw them out of the store, telling them that there was no room for traitors like them in a Weasley family business. When George told him that Harry had more right to be in the store than Ron did as he was one of the owners Ron had lost it. His ensuing tantrum had caused several customers to be hit by multiple prank products, some of which were still experimental. Only Harry and Hermione's presence and help with the cleanup spared the WWW a series of massive lawsuits.

Ron had been unceremoniously fired, but for once in his life he had been proven right. Molly had blown her top at the twins, though it was hard to say whether she was angrier that they had gone into business with Harry after what she saw as his snubbing of the Weasley family or that they had fired Ron.

"You always,  _always_ , put family first! I can't believe that you would sell us out to that little bastard just so you could play around with some jokes!" The rant had gone on for a long time, but for once the twins had endured the tirade with stone faces. When she had finished the two had calmly told her they were sorry she felt that way and that they wouldn't inflict themselves on the family if she felt they were such disgraces. After that they had walked through the floo and not been seen in the Burrow since.

Ron's fourth job, the one he was going to be late for if he didn't shake a leg, was working as an assistant to the groundskeeper at Cannon Range, the home ground of the Chudley Cannons. Ron was extremely happy at his job and in fact stayed late more and more often these days. Lavender was pregnant again and was starting to rival Molly in her tirades against her husband and Ron didn't even have anyone who could distract her anymore.

Lavender had flat out refused to raise their child in a house that had the soulless husk of his sister in it. Ron could see some of the sense in that; he  _hated_  having to take care of Ginny, but Mum insisted that they all spend time with their sister. Ron had been grateful that he hadn't had to change  _her_  nappies.

Ron's occasional overtime bonus meant that they had finally been able to buy their own home. True, it had been a bit of a fixer-upper but it was theirs. Ron felt that the realtor had been a bit generous calling the place a cottage; it was more of a shack, but it suited their needs for now. The Weasley family knew the spells to add extensions to houses and Ron was confident that his children would one day love the house as much as he loved the Burrow.

Ron made it down to the breakfast table with barely half an hour to spare before he needed to apparate in to work. Lavender had set the table and it looked like Bertie had managed to paste most of his breakfast to the walls. Ron just tried to shut out his wife's voice as she berated their son. As soon as he had finished his first two helpings and served himself a third, Ron reached out for the Daily Prophet. The front page damaged his appetite enough that he knew he wouldn't be taking a fourth helping.

_Potter to Receive Distinctions at Hogwarts Graduation_

The story went on to tell the reader that Harry Potter would be inducted into the Order of the Dragon, the Livonian Brothers of the Sword and the Military Order of the Crusaders of the Red Star by representatives of the Hungarian, Latvian and Austrian ministries for his role in taking down some of their most wanted criminals. The whole piece once again praised Potter into the heavens and Ron could feel rage turning his face red. With a vicious flick of his wand and a growled incantation he lit the paper on fire. He also managed to light the tablecloth on fire which earned him Lavender's ire.

When they finally managed to get the fire out Ron was already fifteen minutes late to work. He apparated out with a sigh. Why on earth had he been so eager to move into a separate home with his new family? Maybe he would swing by the Burrow tonight, rather than going straight home. The pub in the small nearby village was also a possibility. For a muggle pub, The Hanged Man wasn't half bad. He would have to see if he could get one or two of the lads to come back to Little Hangleton with him tonight.

* * *

**Omake  
Author:** LeQuin, requested by Fredek  
 **Chapter:** Around chapter 24

Ronald Weasley was enjoying the sight of the three Gryffindor Chasers dancing for him in belly-dancer outfits. Katie's tits were already hanging out of her outfit and he was sure it would not be long before she and the other two were completely naked before him.  _And then we can really have some fun._  Angelina sashayed over to him and bent down, giving him a great view down her top. He could feel her breath on his ear.

"Won-won?"  _That's strange. Normally only Lav calls me that._ "Won-won, wake up."

"Unh?" Ron moaned as he suddenly became aware of the presence of his four-poster around him and the distinct lack of scantily clad Chasers.

"Won-won, if you don't wake up I swear I shall scream and wake the rest of your dorm." Ron forced his eyes open and saw his impatient looking fiance standing over him.

" 'M up. Whaddya want?"

"I want you to get me a peanutbutter and cucumber sandwich."

"Wha'?"

"A peanutbutter and cucumber sandwich."

"Lav, do you have any idea what time it is?" Ron groaned pressing his face into his pillow in an effort to not yell at her for waking him up for such a stupid reason.

"It's three o'clock." Lavender responded. "Well? Are you going to get me that sandwich?"

"No. It's the middle of the bloody night. Go to sleep."

"Ronald Bilius Weasley, if you don't go get me that sandwich, I'll wake your roommates and ask them to do it for me. I'm sure Harry would be willing to help since he's a real gentleman." Ron shot up off his bed at hearing Potter's name.  _The last thing I need is that smug bastard finding out I got Lav preggers._  "Good. Now that you're up, go get me that sandwich." Lavender told him smugly. Ron glared at her but pulled on his robe and slippers. As he left the dorm he saw Lavender getting into his bed and lying down.  _To think that there was a time that I'd have given anything for her to show up in the middle of the night and get into my bed._

Ron left the portrait hole, oblivious to the Fat Lady's protests as he was busy grumbling to himself about crazy birds who show up with crazy demands at crazy hours of the night. He barely paid attention to his surroundings as he made his way down to the kitchens.  _Doesn't matter if I get caught anyway; it's not like I can get into even more trouble. What would they even do? Give me more detentions? I think I'd barely notice at this point. Take points away? Potter and Granger'd just brown-nose them back. I bet they'd even get points for being out after hours. McGonagall just laps up whatever they tell her. "You were out patrolling this broom cupboard? Fifty points to Gryffindor for diligence."_

Ron arrived at the still-life that led to the kitchens and hardly paused in his chuntering thoughts as he tickled the pear. It wasn't until he was standing in the kitchens amid the smell of food that he started to calm down.  _You know what? If Lav's going to get a snack, I should too. I'd say I've bloody well earnt it for being woken in the middle of the night._

"What is young sir doing in the kitchens? Students is supposed to be sleeping now." an elf squeaked from around Ron's knees.

"Yeah well, tell Lav that. Can I get a peanutbutter and cucumber sandwich and a steak and kidney pie?" The elf canted its head to the side and gave Ron a confused look.

"What is being peanutbutter?"

"Butter with peanuts in it? How the hell should I know? Just get it for me will you?"

"Yes, sir." Ron wandered over to one of the tables that were set up in an out of the way corner of the kitchens. He could see a huddle of elves conversing in low whispers as he leant back in his chair. A moment later the elves dispersed and one of them came trotting over with a plate of steak and kidney pie. "Sir's pie."

"Fanksh." Ron muttered through the bite he had stuffed in his mouth before the pie had even settled on the table.  _Maybe Lav's on to something. This is really hitting the spot._ Ron was just considering getting a second helping when another elf appeared next to his table.

"Here is being sir's sandwich. Is sir wanting anything else?"

"Yeah. How about something I can eat on the way back up?"

Right away, sir." As the elf left to get the second course of Ron's midnight snack Ron examined the sandwich in front of him.  _I wonder why Lav'd want to eat this?_  There was a layer of cucumber slices smothered in butter between two slices of bread. Here and there Ron could see what must be peanuts sticking out of the butter.  _Ah well, women are crazy._

"Sir?" Ron blinked and looked down at the little creature standing next to him. "We is making sir a shish kebab. Is this meeting with sir's expectations?"

"This is meat on a stick." Ron said feeling a little awed by the concept.  _It's so simple. How come I've never thought of this?_

"Yes, sir." the elf agreed tentatively.

"You little blighters have some good ideas, you know that?" Ron said as he got up and headed out of the kitchen. It was a much happier redhead who made the trek back up to Gryffindor Tower, munching on his meat-on-a-stick. His good mood allowed him to once again ignore the Fat Lady's reprimands about being out after hours. When he got to the dorm that good mood evaporated though. Lavender was lying spread out on his bed snoring away.  _Bloody hell. Why'd she wake me up then?_  Angrily Ron stomped over to his bed and shook his fiance with the hand that wasn't holding the sandwich.

"Oi. Lav." he hissed at her. "Wake up." Lavender just gave a loud snort before snoring on.  _Barmy bint. I'm not going to spend any more time on this._ Ron dropped the sandwich on his nightstand with a splat and gave Lavender a shove to make some space. Still grumbling about the unfairness of it all Ron climbed into bed next to her and made a little more room by wiggling his body to move her. Muttering imprecations to himself Ron closed his eyes and was soon snoring right along with Lavender.

The next morning the couple awoke to find the curtains of the four-poster mercifully shut. After a hushed argument it was agreed that Ron would slip out and give Lavender a sign when the dorm was clear of possible witnesses. It took a long while before that signal could be given as Dean and Seamus were very interested in what the thing on Ron's nightstand was and why it was there in the first place.  _Merlin, why did we forget that stupid charm?_


	8. Meet the Family

"Hurry up, Rolf! I don't want to get there after they've eaten all the pudding!"

Rolf Scamander straightened his robes one last time before rushing down the stairs to join his girlfriend. He had met Luna Lovegood at a Magizoological conference and been absolutely entranced by her. Most of the time those conferences were an absolute bore with everyone wanting to talk to him about his grandfather's work. He often got the feeling that the people he talked to didn't see him, but just his surname.

Luna was...different. She had engaged him in a conversation about creatures he had never heard of. When he asked for more details she had airily told him that she had none to give as the creatures hadn't been discovered yet. It was an attitude that flummoxed and fascinated the young Magizoologist.

That conversation had been the launching point for a whirlwind expedition to find the creatures the almost ephemeral young woman had described. They hadn't found a single one of Luna's creatures but Rolf had rediscovered something that he had forgotten: Magizoology was  _fun_. Luna brought the joy of a possible new discovery to everything she did. It was a completely different experience from the regimented approach his father espoused.

It was also during this expedition that Rolf had first worked up the nerve to ask Luna out on a date. It had taken a week of negotiations with a tribe in the Amazon rainforest to get them to cook a meal for the two Europeans. The relief he felt when Luna agreed to go on a date with him was indescribable.

The date itself had somehow been perfect. Neither of them had brought any fancy clothes along as they would only have been dead weight to haul around. Dressed in shorts and T-shirts the pair shared a meal of barbecued alligator, rice, jungle fruits and fermented pineapple-wine. When he had attended Hogwarts, Rolf had only been on a few dates and none of them had been particularly successful. Much like the conventions he attended, the girls had only wanted to talk about his grandfather's accomplishments; accomplishments Luna seemed singularly unconcerned with.

Rolf's father, Mortimer Scamander, had not been pleased to hear of his son's most recent expedition.

"You mean to tell me that in three months you haven't made a speck of progress towards the goal of the expedition? That is unacceptable. We are Scamanders. Our expeditions do not  _fail_." There had been more in that vein but in the end Rolf couldn't bring himself to view his and Luna's expedition as a failure. In fact he was eager to depart on another as soon as possible.

That was, in a sense, the reason he was hurrying tonight. Luna refused to go on another expedition with him before he met her family. Last week he had met her father. It was clear where Luna had gotten her marvelous taste for exploration from. Rolf and Xeno had spent an evening happily talking about possibilities; about maybe's and might be's. Xeno had also had some excellent if unconventional advice about all aspects of their upcoming expedition.

Tonight it was Luna's brother and his wife that Rolf would be meeting. Luna spoke often of this brother but had never mentioned his name. Still, from what he had heard, Rolf was very aware that the man played a large part in Luna's life and that she was very fond of him. This meant that Rolf was eager to make a good impression.

He reached the floo and Luna looked him over with her usual dreamy stare. Rolf felt like a soldier being examined by a general on the parade ground. After only a moment, though it seemed much longer to Rolf, Luna gave a minute nod and held out the floo powder to him.

"The address is 12 Grimmauld Place. I'll be right behind you." Rolf wondered to himself why Luna felt the need to add that last reassurance as he threw the floo powder into the fire and called out his destination. After the usual dizzying ride through the green flames Rolf stepped out of the grate into what looked like the receiving room of a stately manor house; sort of.

Rolf had been in enough manor houses of the older families to know what a receiving room usually looked like and this was not it. The room he had emerged into was warm and homely. There was no attempt to impress or over-awe a visitor. There were comfy couches bracketing a woven rug on a hardwood floor. Between the couches a glass coffee table stood on the rug and there were bookcases against the walls. Through the window Rolf could see some children playing a late afternoon game of tag in a small park. The whole atmosphere was of a cozy living room despite the high ceiling and wood paneled walls.

"I think I just heard the floo chime, love. That must be them." a woman's voice called from deeper in the house. Moments later a beautiful woman of about Luna's age came through the door. She smiled when she saw him.

"You must be Rolf. Luna's told us so much about you in her letters. It's wonderful to finally meet you." Rolf was about to respond when his eyes were drawn to the man who had just entered behind the woman. Looking back at him from the most famous face in the wizarding world were a pair of ancient green eyes. Rolf's answer died as a gurgle in his throat.

Rolf's mind struggled to comprehend what he was seeing.  _I'm in the wrong house_  was his first thought. That didn't make sense though; the woman,  _Hermione Potter_  his mind numbly supplied, had mentioned Luna. Somehow Luna's big brother would appear to be Harry Potter. The whole time he had been trying to figure out what was happening those green eyes hadn't stopped watching him. Rolf was strongly reminded of a large predator faced with a tiny prey animal. There was the kind of lazy curiosity he had seen in large cats that hadn't decided yet whether or not it was worth the effort to get up and kill the little snack in front of them.

"Are you alright?" he heard Mrs. Potter ask. He was spared having to force some kind of answer from his throat when he heard a chime behind him as the floo flared. His girlfriend was running past his shoulder and jumped at the Potters with a happy squeal.

"Harry! Hermione!" She was caught up in a happy hug in no time and the joyful, perhaps even loving, looks that were exchanged between the three killed any 'wrong house' theory stone dead. Rolf was going to have to impress Harry-bleeding-Potter if he wanted to take Luna on another expedition. With a whimper he fainted.

"Oh dear." Hermione gasped as she heard a body hit the floor. "Luna, I think your boyfriend fainted." Luna disentangled herself from her friends and looked at the unconscious man on the floor.

"Hmmm, I think you may be right, Hermione." she said in her usual dreamy tone. Harry was shaking his head with a small smile on his face.

"Why do I get the feeling we've been used in a prank? Luna, did he even know what was happening tonight or did you just throw him through the floo?"

"Don't be silly, Harry. Of course Rolf knew what was happening. I told him quite clearly that he would be meeting my big brother today." Luna's smile was just a little too innocent and Harry did still regularly meet up with the Weasley twins.

"And did Rolf know that you were referring to me or did you forget to mention my name?" he asked. Luna's eyes widened, trying to force a little more innocence into her expression.

"I'm not sure. I'll have to ask him when he wakes up." she answered. Harry just chuckled at his little sister's antics. A groan from the floor brought their attention back to the collapsed man in the middle of the room. Luna quickly knelt down next to her boyfriend. When his eyes fluttered open they looked onto the silver ones above him.

"Luna, sweetheart, you wouldn't believe the dream I just had." he told her as he sat up and brought a hand up to his throbbing head. "We were at your brother's and for some reason he was played by Harry Potter."

"Played?" the mock-indignant question from behind him caused Rolf to spin around as fast as one can when sitting on the floor. Standing there looking thoroughly amused were Harry and Hermione Potter.  _Shit. Not a dream._

"Rolfie, Harry wanted to know if I had told you that he is my big brother but I can't quite remember. Did I?" Luna spoke up.

"No, Luna. You didn't." Rolf said in a trembling voice as he turned back to face Luna.

"Oh. Well, Harry Potter is my big brother. He has been since my third year at Hogwarts." Luna beamed at him before looking over his shoulder. "There, I told him." The chuckles behind Rolf suddenly sounded a lot closer and he felt a pair of hands haul him up by the armpits.

"Like Hermione said: it's good to finally meet you, Rolf. I apologize for Luna's incorrigible behaviour. We just don't know where she gets it from." Harry said while shaking Rolf's hand. The Magizoologist was trying to get over his shock but  _I'm actually meeting Harry and Hermione Potter_  kept running through his head. As if summoned by his thoughts, Hermione appeared beside her husband and swatted him on the arm.

"That  _might_  have been believable if you could have kept the pride out of your voice." she scolded Harry with a smile.

"What? It was a good prank. You know Sirius is going to need nappies when we tell him."

"Ignore the children for now, Rolf. Would you like something to drink before we sit down to dinner?" Hermione addressed her guest while said 'children' stood sniggering next to them. Rolf managed a nod. As he was led into the kitchen and given a glass of wine he could slowly feel himself starting to calm down a bit.

Over dinner Rolf got to know the Potters and was surprised by just how... _ordinary_  they were. Slowly the surrealism of the situation began to ebb and he honestly enjoyed himself. He still found himself being caught off guard occasionally by how casually they spoke of the greatest members of the wizarding world (he was sure he would never,  _ever_  refer to the Minister for Magic as 'Amy') but even those shocks were becoming less and less pronounced. By the end of the night he was even starting to think that he might one day be good friends with the Potters. They even made it home without Harry dragging him off somewhere to ask him about his intentions towards Luna, a prospect that had occurred to him halfway through dinner and nearly made him faint again.

When they got home he told Luna about the relief he had felt. Her answer managed to strip that away in record time.

"Harry has agreed to not intimidate my dates after I asked him not to. He is a little too good at it and I would never be able to get a boy to go out with me if he glowered at them all the time. It would give him wrinkles too and Hermione wouldn't like that. I did have to agree to let him deal with anyone who hurts me as violently as he likes." Rolf was suddenly very aware of his own mortality.

"Rolf, are you planning on hurting me?" Luna asked him sounding suddenly serious.

"Of course not! Luna, I love you." he exclaimed in horror.

"I know and I love you too. You just need to remember that. Harry isn't going to turn your entrails into a vase for no reason. Just relax and love me. In fact, I think you should love me right now." Rolf chuckled and picked her up to carry her to his bed. Maybe he could get a handle on being Harry Potter's brother-in-law. Luna was certainly worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that's it for now. The story will be going on hiatus for a little while as my muse is screaming in my ear and I'm tearing through the work for another story. I think I will add one or two chapters when I'm done with that. There was a request for a look into Ephialtes' problems in the afterlife after his screw-up that feels promising, but right now you're just going to have to put up with this the way it is.


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